https://wiki.rpg.net/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Godofmusic 2026-05-16T05:02:30Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.43.0 https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Timeline_(Polesia)&diff=299077 2016-03-30T04:16:13Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>'''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion caused a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia, then a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive, is struck by another planetoid, Certa and the resulting collision knocked Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds were partially shattered but reformed after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia began to cool. Liquid water formed on its surface, and oxygen began to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia at this stage was a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath could seed it, something from the stars descended to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things started building colonies across Polesia, and began experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they created the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escaped and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrived on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolved a primitive intelligence and in time rebelled against their creators and decimated their colonies, stranding them on Polesia where they hid in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' As it journeyed endlessly through the long dark of space, Shub-Niggurath passed close to Polesia and spores from Its body descended through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life began competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, and triggered a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Shoggoths remained on Polesia and even a few Elder Things, who went into stasis, neither of them intruding on these new forms of life as they expanded uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods began claiming vast territories on land, which at this time was mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles also appear and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles began developing the ability to manage their body temperature and started to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals and birds. Some also developed unique hipbones and could walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things were still completely dormant and shoggoths roamed only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra began to drift apart creating new seas and ending the vast deserts. The first true mammals began to evolve and dinosaurs begin dominated the earth alongside great reptiles that lived in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieved a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities among the thriving jungles and challenged even the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth was visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descended and built the Nightmare City of R’lyeh and from there they ruled the world, spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awoke in response to this incursion but they were too few and too weak to stem the invasion and their cities are destroyed, save one that returned to stasis. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, started to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures were not fully defeated, they simply returned to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shifted ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle marched onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, went into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They left Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids were charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races began a terrible war that lasted for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They took to the stars and established colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world races to spread and invade even more worlds. In time they conquered most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collided with their world transferred their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolved amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths were disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. At the same time the illithids were dealing with a threat from within their own forces as well. Their main slave stock, an offworld group of humanoids called the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, and sparked a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that huge pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descended upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians somehow sealed them beneath the planet's surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived. Sometime later the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashed into what is now the western coast of Antanides, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off many of the polyps. Those that survived did so by retreating underground and were lost to history. The chain reactions of this event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts sent a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion were more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids joined forces in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdrew before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains were concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths returned to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' As the world recovered from the devastation of the asteroid, new life rose to fill the void left by the mass extinction. Terror birds roamed the vast grasslands and for a time they were the dominant predators while mammals continued to evolve and thrive. The first whales evolved from water dwelling mammals, birds evolved the ability to fly, and mammals on land started competing with the terror birds for dominance, driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavated the Obelisk from where it had was entombed at the bottom of the ocean and started experimenting with its regenerative powers. It was with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. These creatures were naturally subservient to the Obelisk's will at first, however the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them instead. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisk's power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' In a great tragedy (of which no records survive), Uthl-ngru, the city in which the Obelisk is contained, disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appeared to vanish for a time.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continued to evolve, and several varieties gained intelligence and became the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continued to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons taped deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn developed the first magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 to -2,000,650 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms began incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fought a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply vanished. The serpent-folk never discovered their origins or where they went, though some theorized that the creatures followed some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience began to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential. Across the world mammals were beginning to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovered the Obelisk, buried in the an island somewhere between present day southeastern Antanides and Dhumarja. Like the aboleths they sought to use its power. For a time they learn from it much about the genetic structure of all living creatures and they create new varieties of creatures, some of which still survive to this day. However, unlike the aboleths, their resistance to the Obelisk's call was short lived and within a century it managed to spark dissent among them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, was almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into aberrants. The serpent folk nations raised Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests managed to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displaced it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, began to develop complex communal bonds, very similar to that of the serpent folk. Even many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolved primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' As Polesia’s climate continued to cool, it drove the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus had adapted to the various environments they found themselves in and many now wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke was dealt to the serpent folk as a species when the Dawn People began showing further signs of development and civilization, with families encountering each other and forging alliances that resulted in larger tribes. While the tribes still fight each other, many understand that the serpent folk are a more pressing threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk began to fall more and more frequently than not to coordinated raids and ambushes. The climate was also against the serpent folk making resources harder and harder to come by and in time their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who fled far from these hairless apes, living out their lives in remote caves or going into a magical hibernation, hoping that worsening conditions would eventually undo their foes.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' Without a common threat to unite them and there was infighting amongst the Dawn People, thinning their numbers and driving them apart as they searched for food and resources to survive. Some of the Dawn People went into the then forested region of southern and central Antanides and interbred with more feral ape men, creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern [[Dwarves in Polesia | dwarves]]). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]). At the same time the Dawn People of the north continued to develop and in time became the [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out across modern day Zumwalla and many go as far east as modern day Asashiro as well as far into the north where they encounter other hominids. However, during this time it is homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable nations while their contemporaries still wander in tribal bands. Their mastery over magic, once only simple mimicry of ancient serpent folk disciplines, also becomes considerable and they bend the great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' As Homo sapiens began spreading out to find food and resources they encountered homo sylvansus and began competing for territory. The elven forebears won these conflicts more often than not and either subjugated their competitors or forced them northward where they in turn contended with neanderthals against which they were more successful. As a result neanderthals were either interbred with homo sapiens or were displaced even further north. In this frozen hell the hominids were pressed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical strength and endurance. This leads to a division among the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' As the world began to warm again, Elven civilization reached its peak and they ruled most of middle and southern Antanides, conquering the other races that lived in their territory and treating them as vassals or slaves depending on their traditions. The elves at this time also met and mingled with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that had migrated from the dreamlands. During this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them. Also around this time a bitter war tore through all of civilization when a splinter group of elven fanatics rebelled against the ruling families and were eventually banished, going into the deeper reaches of the world, where eventually they would become the drow. Elven numbers were depleted during this war and the other races began to take advantage and spread into territories that the elves could no longer defend or rose in revolt and forced the elves to retreat to more fortified places. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. Orcs, giants, ogres, and goblins also reached their modern form and in multiple waves, they pushed their way south and through various conflicts they spread through northern Antanides. Serpent people still survived and lived in isolated communities, many having evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, their ancient glory by this time was only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-10,623 to 10,302 CA:''' For the first time humans founded their own empire. Far off the coast of the remaining elven nations, these humans spread through islands of the Ilad Sea, their capital a great island they called Ghōl, situated in the Sea's center. In several centuries the humble villages of these peoples became a sprawling island cites which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,526 to -9,482 CA:''' As their civilization advanced, the humans of Ghōl started to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidated power and, removing the current aristocracy, become the first sorcerer kings (Mîr Ashari) of Ghōl, each one ruling domains that spanned from single islands to whole groups.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,423 to -9,412 CA:''' After decades of competition between the nominally united sorcerer kings, Belteshazzar (the keeper of secrets) through some unknown craft invests himself with true immortality as well as other powers that cause many to worship him as a god and imparts the potential to gain this power into his bloodline. With these powers he demands the loyalties of the other kings of Ghōl, many knelt willingly and those who didn't were quickly defeated, and he was declared the first god-king (Ahn Ashar) of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,997 CA:''' Through treachery, Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) was supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allowed his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy was not shown to Belteshazar himself, who was cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon for his blasphemous declarations of godhood. This pretext, however, did not stop Kakrimi from ascending to his position in all but name, instead calling himself Ghōl Ashar (the king of Ghōl).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,710 to -8,705 CA:'''Panic spreads through the civilized world when one of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awoke from a deep hibernation and rallied his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations and founded a new kingdom from which he meant to spread. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the island empire was drawn into the war. By this time, however, the Serpent Folk had entrenched themselves and it was a long time before any real effort was made to counter their conquests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,700 to -8,657 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk paused and consolidate power along the coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity. This position nearly separated the elves from their human allies in Ghōl but also forced the serpent folk to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advanced for decades, with a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades doing little more than cost lives. The human and elven leaders sent overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refused them. When the casualties became greater than they can bear the Avaladh started turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. To this end they started treating with the aboleths of nearby Ngh-Gwmash and under their tutelage they abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted new gods, venerating the Old Ones in a twisted mockery of the Old Faith. These new practices accompanied a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh people. Once again the balance of power shifted and the new priests turned against the Mîr Ashari and set themselves up as priest kings (Ernu Ashari).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,594 to -8,584 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secured its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learned from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly changed their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandoned the elves, the priest kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group was composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who were outraged by the corrupting influence of their alliance. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho (a descendant of Belteshazzar) lead his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronted and slew Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,583 to -8,582 CA:''' Within a decade Kammen Thal-Ortho returned home at the head of what was now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and laid siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the priests and their aboleth masters. The aboleths were not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreated to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and their elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the priests and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the sea, drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,220 to -7,914 CA:''' Fleeing the destruction of their homeland, Belteshazzar refugees form a new empire by uniting the dissidents and outlaws in the desert to the southeast of the elven territories. With their secrets and the natives' numbers, the growth of this nation is astounding. Ensconcing themselves into the upper social hierarchy the Belteshazzar rule this rapidly expanding empire as sorcerer kings in the Avaladh tradition before its corruption by the aboleths. Many other traditions form their homeland were still evident as well, but for the most part they mingled their ways with the natives, speaking their language in most affairs and reserving their own ancestral Avaladh tongue for sacred ceremonies. Within several centuries the empire spread across the desert and displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This empire is called Shahar-Khet after its enormous capital.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-7,002 to -6,990 CA:''' While raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold, Sorcerers from Shahar-Khet stumbled onto the Obelisk. The king and nobles of Shahar-Khet were convinced that this monolithic structure held the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk was influencing their weaker human minds. While they managed to prevent all out corruption, Shahar-Khet did not do gain much the Obelisk as had the aboleths or the serpentfolk, and only managed to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they managed to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroyed an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil uprising in Shahar-Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain, and the cult is dispersed.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,806 to -6,625 CA:''' The Belteshazzar descended rulers of Shahar-khet continued delving into lore that their elven enemies were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings made the first metaphorical deal with the devil and started treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparked their rapid development it also plunged the nation into sociological decadence as they gorged on unearned knowledge. The first human cults of Cthulhu were formed and in time the last king of Shahar-Khet, Pharizon II contacted the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who taught him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,302 CA:''' Under Pharizon II the people of Shahar-Khet had several glorious centuries during which they decimated the nearby elven nation of Aredhel, breaking their hold over the region in such a manner that even to this day the elves have never recovered fully. However the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon began to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic. Within a decade of this Shahar-Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. Many people fled the devastation, some went east and establishing the isolationist country of Sholashomu, some Beleshazzar went south and eventually founded the city state of Narem, and one lich, named Mel-Ketekk left the devastation and traveled the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,000 to -3,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rose in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none would compare for millennia to come. At the same time the dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great began to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and built the Underway. The modern races continued to trade or fight and civilizations rose and fell at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids multiplied in the hostile northlands and humans continued an inevitable spread above ground while elves managed to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. The histories of the elven nations, Ghol, and Shahar-Khet turned into myth and legends that were in turn supplanted by more recent myths and legends that are widely known and believed today, shrouding that ancient time beyond the sight of most historians and priests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-3,000 to -2,640 CA:''' Human tribes in south eastern Antanides united and created their third major empire. Unlike Ghol and Shahar-Khet before them, this Pallishar Empire is based in martial power more than forgotten magic, though magical studies did have a prominent place in the social hierarchy and in modern times Eshtorah, the remainder of the empire, is credited with the spread of modern magical disciplines. The Pallishar Empire dominated the region, ranging from the great deserts to the Open Seas and the borders of Shulashumo up into parts of the Thesian Peninsula. While it was not nearly the largest of the more recent empires it was probably one of the richest in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,800 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for centuries.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The many kings of the western Thesian Peninsula band together to combat the encroachment of the Pallishar Empire and drive them south. During this time the Empire was also suffering from internal strife as several powerful factions battled for supremacy and so weakened they fell to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies all of their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endured as it has for almost two thousand years, though they ceded some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that was not resolved for several centuries. Humans at this time were almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,500 to -1,352 CA:''' Mirroring its rapid rise to power Thesian Empire, now no longer bound together by the threat of the Pallishar Empire breaks apart due to a lack of strong succession. The &quot;pure&quot; Thesian empire extended only on the western side of their home peninsula and the surrounding islands, the remainder broken up into numerous powerful but smaller kingdoms, some of which survived but intermingled with their vassals to such an extent that they bore littel resemblance to their forebears. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,346 to -1,052 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire began its steady decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors began emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings were lost. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 to -995 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across southern Asashiro. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-998 to -991 CA:'''Similar the Avaladh before them the dwarves were infiltrated by another ancient power. A dwarf noble named Anzur HéNazhrek, took control of Radezhka and in time was revealed to be a yallith, the degenerate descendants of the ancient illethids that had fled below the earth in ages past. Anzur's manipulations and usurpation lead to a horrible civil war that cut the Empire down to a third of its former size. During this time many dwarves in the outlying colonies were taken by yallith into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-989 CA:''' An heir of Kadazh the great is discovered and under his banner the dwarves take back Radezhka and kill Anzur and his followers, reuniting the dwarven territories. However, the glory of the past ages is gone and while the dwarves secure what holdings they have left their empire never reaches its former prominence.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-820 CA:''' On the island that will become the cornerstone of modern Lacaeta a of druids battled the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seemed invincible as his power covered the land and caused his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids called an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk was only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning were all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards were left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-632 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-567 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Latanarius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-309 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-316 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-200 to -68 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, dominating modern the modern Thesian Peninsula, most of Eshtora, Benoa and the nothern section of the modern day Viedo Empire. They wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-65 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan build the Library City of Aoka and from there begin to spread across Polesia, something that will lead to them founding more chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for the far north. The elves of Mistwood and the dwarves of Radezhka are never truly conquered, but they also maintain peaceful relations with the Empire for the sake of trade. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''50 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a shaman named Ljus Svartersson leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Svartersson and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Xyratis Estrano creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''656 CA:''' In Asashiro the Kasejin Emperors lose control of the daimyo and another perpetual war spreads through the continent. The Emperors are essentially taken hostage and used as political leverage.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''778 CA:''' The last of the Kasejin Emperors is slain and Asashiro loses its last vestiges of legitimate authority.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly a thousand years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Svartersson who stopped the Obelisk uprising. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Timeline_(Polesia)&diff=299076 2016-03-30T04:15:01Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>'''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion caused a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia, then a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive, is struck by another planetoid, Certa and the resulting collision knocked Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds were partially shattered but reformed after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia began to cool. Liquid water formed on its surface, and oxygen began to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia at this stage was a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath could seed it, something from the stars descended to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things started building colonies across Polesia, and began experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they created the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escaped and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrived on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolved a primitive intelligence and in time rebelled against their creators and decimated their colonies, stranding them on Polesia where they hid in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' As it journeyed endlessly through the long dark of space, Shub-Niggurath passed close to Polesia and spores from Its body descended through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life began competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, and triggered a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Shoggoths remained on Polesia and even a few Elder Things, who went into stasis, neither of them intruding on these new forms of life as they expanded uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods began claiming vast territories on land, which at this time was mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles also appear and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles began developing the ability to manage their body temperature and started to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals and birds. Some also developed unique hipbones and could walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things were still completely dormant and shoggoths roamed only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra began to drift apart creating new seas and ending the vast deserts. The first true mammals began to evolve and dinosaurs begin dominated the earth alongside great reptiles that lived in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieved a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities among the thriving jungles and challenged even the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth was visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descended and built the Nightmare City of R’lyeh and from there they ruled the world, spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awoke in response to this incursion but they were too few and too weak to stem the invasion and their cities are destroyed, save one that returned to stasis. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, started to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures were not fully defeated, they simply returned to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shifted ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle marched onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, went into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They left Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids were charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races began a terrible war that lasted for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They took to the stars and established colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world races to spread and invade even more worlds. In time they conquered most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collided with their world transferred their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolved amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths were disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. At the same time the illithids were dealing with a threat from within their own forces as well. Their main slave stock, an offworld group of humanoids called the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, and sparked a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that huge pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descended upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians somehow sealed them beneath the planet's surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived. Sometime later the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashed into what is now the western coast of Antanides, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off many of the polyps. Those that survived did so by retreating underground and were lost to history. The chain reactions of this event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts sent a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion were more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids joined forces in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdrew before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains were concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths returned to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' As the world recovered from the devastation of the asteroid, new life rose to fill the void left by the mass extinction. Terror birds roamed the vast grasslands and for a time they were the dominant predators while mammals continued to evolve and thrive. The first whales evolved from water dwelling mammals, birds evolved the ability to fly, and mammals on land started competing with the terror birds for dominance, driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavated the Obelisk from where it had was entombed at the bottom of the ocean and started experimenting with its regenerative powers. It was with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. These creatures were naturally subservient to the Obelisk's will at first, however the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them instead. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisk's power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' In a great tragedy (of which no records survive), Uthl-ngru, the city in which the Obelisk is contained, disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appeared to vanish for a time.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continued to evolve, and several varieties gained intelligence and became the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continued to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons taped deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn developed the first magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 to -2,000,650 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms began incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fought a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply vanished. The serpent-folk never discovered their origins or where they went, though some theorized that the creatures followed some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience began to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential. Across the world mammals were beginning to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovered the Obelisk, buried in the an island somewhere between present day southeastern Antanides and Dhumarja. Like the aboleths they sought to use its power. For a time they learn from it much about the genetic structure of all living creatures and they create new varieties of creatures, some of which still survive to this day. However, unlike the aboleths, their resistance to the Obelisk's call was short lived and within a century it managed to spark dissent among them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, was almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into aberrants. The serpent folk nations raised Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests managed to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displaced it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, began to develop complex communal bonds, very similar to that of the serpent folk. Even many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolved primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' As Polesia’s climate continued to cool, it drove the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus had adapted to the various environments they found themselves in and many now wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke was dealt to the serpent folk as a species when the Dawn People began showing further signs of development and civilization, with families encountering each other and forging alliances that resulted in larger tribes. While the tribes still fight each other, many understand that the serpent folk are a more pressing threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk began to fall more and more frequently than not to coordinated raids and ambushes. The climate was also against the serpent folk making resources harder and harder to come by and in time their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who fled far from these hairless apes, living out their lives in remote caves or going into a magical hibernation, hoping that worsening conditions would eventually undo their foes.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' Without a common threat to unite them and there was infighting amongst the Dawn People, thinning their numbers and driving them apart as they searched for food and resources to survive. Some of the Dawn People went into the then forested region of southern and central Antanides and interbred with more feral ape men, creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern [[Dwarves in Polesia | dwarves]]). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]). At the same time the Dawn People of the north continued to develop and in time became the [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out across modern day Zumwalla and many go as far east as modern day Asashiro as well as far into the north where they encounter other hominids. However, during this time it is homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable nations while their contemporaries still wander in tribal bands. Their mastery over magic, once only simple mimicry of ancient serpent folk disciplines, also becomes considerable and they bend the great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' As Homo sapiens began spreading out to find food and resources they encountered homo sylvansus and began competing for territory. The elven forebears won these conflicts more often than not and either subjugated their competitors or forced them northward where they in turn contended with neanderthals against which they were more successful. As a result neanderthals were either interbred with homo sapiens or were displaced even further north. In this frozen hell the hominids were pressed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical strength and endurance. This leads to a division among the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' As the world began to warm again, Elven civilization reached its peak and they ruled most of middle and southern Antanides, conquering the other races that lived in their territory and treating them as vassals or slaves depending on their traditions. The elves at this time also met and mingled with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that had migrated from the dreamlands. During this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them. Also around this time a bitter war tore through all of civilization when a splinter group of elven fanatics rebelled against the ruling families and were eventually banished, going into the deeper reaches of the world, where eventually they would become the drow. Elven numbers were depleted during this war and the other races began to take advantage and spread into territories that the elves could no longer defend or rose in revolt and forced the elves to retreat to more fortified places. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. Orcs, giants, ogres, and goblins also reached their modern form and in multiple waves, they pushed their way south and through various conflicts they spread through northern Antanides. Serpent people still survived and lived in isolated communities, many having evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, their ancient glory by this time was only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-10,623 to 10,302 CA:''' For the first time humans founded their own empire. Far off the coast of the remaining elven nations, these humans spread through islands of the Ilad Sea, their capital a great island they called Ghōl, situated in the Sea's center. In several centuries the humble villages of these peoples became a sprawling island cites which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,526 to -9,482 CA:'' As their civilization advanced, the humans of Ghōl started to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidated power and, removing the current aristocracy, become the first sorcerer kings (Mîr Ashari) of Ghōl, each one ruling domains that spanned from single islands to whole groups.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-9,423 to -9,412 CA:''' After decades of competition between the nominally united sorcerer kings, Belteshazzar (the keeper of secrets) through some unknown craft invests himself with true immortality as well as other powers that cause many to worship him as a god and imparts the potential to gain this power into his bloodline. With these powers he demands the loyalties of the other kings of Ghōl, many knelt willingly and those who didn't were quickly defeated, and he was declared the first god-king (Ahn Ashar) of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,997 CA:''' Through treachery, Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) was supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allowed his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy was not shown to Belteshazar himself, who was cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon for his blasphemous declarations of godhood. This pretext, however, did not stop Kakrimi from ascending to his position in all but name, instead calling himself Ghōl Ashar (the king of Ghōl).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,710 to -8,705 CA:'''Panic spreads through the civilized world when one of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awoke from a deep hibernation and rallied his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations and founded a new kingdom from which he meant to spread. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the island empire was drawn into the war. By this time, however, the Serpent Folk had entrenched themselves and it was a long time before any real effort was made to counter their conquests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,700 to -8,657 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk paused and consolidate power along the coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity. This position nearly separated the elves from their human allies in Ghōl but also forced the serpent folk to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advanced for decades, with a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades doing little more than cost lives. The human and elven leaders sent overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refused them. When the casualties became greater than they can bear the Avaladh started turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. To this end they started treating with the aboleths of nearby Ngh-Gwmash and under their tutelage they abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted new gods, venerating the Old Ones in a twisted mockery of the Old Faith. These new practices accompanied a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh people. Once again the balance of power shifted and the new priests turned against the Mîr Ashari and set themselves up as priest kings (Ernu Ashari).<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,594 to -8,584 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secured its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learned from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly changed their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandoned the elves, the priest kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group was composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who were outraged by the corrupting influence of their alliance. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho (a descendant of Belteshazzar) lead his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronted and slew Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,583 to -8,582 CA:''' Within a decade Kammen Thal-Ortho returned home at the head of what was now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and laid siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the priests and their aboleth masters. The aboleths were not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreated to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and their elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the priests and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the sea, drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-8,220 to -7,914 CA:''' Fleeing the destruction of their homeland, Belteshazzar refugees form a new empire by uniting the dissidents and outlaws in the desert to the southeast of the elven territories. With their secrets and the natives' numbers, the growth of this nation is astounding. Ensconcing themselves into the upper social hierarchy the Belteshazzar rule this rapidly expanding empire as sorcerer kings in the Avaladh tradition before its corruption by the aboleths. Many other traditions form their homeland were still evident as well, but for the most part they mingled their ways with the natives, speaking their language in most affairs and reserving their own ancestral Avaladh tongue for sacred ceremonies. Within several centuries the empire spread across the desert and displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This empire is called Shahar-Khet after its enormous capital.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-7,002 to -6,990 CA:''' While raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold, Sorcerers from Shahar-Khet stumbled onto the Obelisk. The king and nobles of Shahar-Khet were convinced that this monolithic structure held the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk was influencing their weaker human minds. While they managed to prevent all out corruption, Shahar-Khet did not do gain much the Obelisk as had the aboleths or the serpentfolk, and only managed to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they managed to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroyed an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil uprising in Shahar-Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain, and the cult is dispersed.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,806 to -6,625 CA:''' The Belteshazzar descended rulers of Shahar-khet continued delving into lore that their elven enemies were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings made the first metaphorical deal with the devil and started treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparked their rapid development it also plunged the nation into sociological decadence as they gorged on unearned knowledge. The first human cults of Cthulhu were formed and in time the last king of Shahar-Khet, Pharizon II contacted the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who taught him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,302 CA:''' Under Pharizon II the people of Shahar-Khet had several glorious centuries during which they decimated the nearby elven nation of Aredhel, breaking their hold over the region in such a manner that even to this day the elves have never recovered fully. However the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon began to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic. Within a decade of this Shahar-Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. Many people fled the devastation, some went east and establishing the isolationist country of Sholashomu, some Beleshazzar went south and eventually founded the city state of Narem, and one lich, named Mel-Ketekk left the devastation and traveled the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-6,000 to -3,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rose in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none would compare for millennia to come. At the same time the dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great began to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and built the Underway. The modern races continued to trade or fight and civilizations rose and fell at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids multiplied in the hostile northlands and humans continued an inevitable spread above ground while elves managed to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. The histories of the elven nations, Ghol, and Shahar-Khet turned into myth and legends that were in turn supplanted by more recent myths and legends that are widely known and believed today, shrouding that ancient time beyond the sight of most historians and priests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-3,000 to -2,640 CA:''' Human tribes in south eastern Antanides united and created their third major empire. Unlike Ghol and Shahar-Khet before them, this Pallishar Empire is based in martial power more than forgotten magic, though magical studies did have a prominent place in the social hierarchy and in modern times Eshtorah, the remainder of the empire, is credited with the spread of modern magical disciplines. The Pallishar Empire dominated the region, ranging from the great deserts to the Open Seas and the borders of Shulashumo up into parts of the Thesian Peninsula. While it was not nearly the largest of the more recent empires it was probably one of the richest in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,800 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for centuries.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The many kings of the western Thesian Peninsula band together to combat the encroachment of the Pallishar Empire and drive them south. During this time the Empire was also suffering from internal strife as several powerful factions battled for supremacy and so weakened they fell to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies all of their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endured as it has for almost two thousand years, though they ceded some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that was not resolved for several centuries. Humans at this time were almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,500 to -1,352 CA:''' Mirroring its rapid rise to power Thesian Empire, now no longer bound together by the threat of the Pallishar Empire breaks apart due to a lack of strong succession. The &quot;pure&quot; Thesian empire extended only on the western side of their home peninsula and the surrounding islands, the remainder broken up into numerous powerful but smaller kingdoms, some of which survived but intermingled with their vassals to such an extent that they bore littel resemblance to their forebears. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,346 to -1,052 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire began its steady decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors began emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings were lost. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 to -995 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across southern Asashiro. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-998 to -991 CA:'''Similar the Avaladh before them the dwarves were infiltrated by another ancient power. A dwarf noble named Anzur HéNazhrek, took control of Radezhka and in time was revealed to be a yallith, the degenerate descendants of the ancient illethids that had fled below the earth in ages past. Anzur's manipulations and usurpation lead to a horrible civil war that cut the Empire down to a third of its former size. During this time many dwarves in the outlying colonies were taken by yallith into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-989 CA:''' An heir of Kadazh the great is discovered and under his banner the dwarves take back Radezhka and kill Anzur and his followers, reuniting the dwarven territories. However, the glory of the past ages is gone and while the dwarves secure what holdings they have left their empire never reaches its former prominence.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-820 CA:''' On the island that will become the cornerstone of modern Lacaeta a of druids battled the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seemed invincible as his power covered the land and caused his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids called an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk was only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning were all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards were left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-632 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-567 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Latanarius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-309 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-316 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-200 to -68 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, dominating modern the modern Thesian Peninsula, most of Eshtora, Benoa and the nothern section of the modern day Viedo Empire. They wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-65 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan build the Library City of Aoka and from there begin to spread across Polesia, something that will lead to them founding more chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for the far north. The elves of Mistwood and the dwarves of Radezhka are never truly conquered, but they also maintain peaceful relations with the Empire for the sake of trade. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''50 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a shaman named Ljus Svartersson leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Svartersson and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Xyratis Estrano creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''656 CA:''' In Asashiro the Kasejin Emperors lose control of the daimyo and another perpetual war spreads through the continent. The Emperors are essentially taken hostage and used as political leverage.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''778 CA:''' The last of the Kasejin Emperors is slain and Asashiro loses its last vestiges of legitimate authority.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly a thousand years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Svartersson who stopped the Obelisk uprising. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Xyra&diff=282990 2015-05-22T08:02:29Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Xyra is a city state located in Antanides and situated in the mountains to the North of the ruins of Shahar-Khet and East of the city of Lattanis. It was started in 98 CA by a cabal of arcane casters led by Estrano Fiarius. It was intended to be a safe haven for wizards and other magical traditions to come and study out of the reach of either judicial or ecclesiastical reprisal. Fiarius especially had need of this haven so that he could continue to perfect his blasphemous art of drawing souls from people to create warforged soldiers. He was, however, in the minority and many of the spell casters simply wanted to research and excel at their craft. For many years Estrano ruled the city as its first Archmage, and while his treatment of slave volunteers was detestable, it could not be argued that he brought in a huge portion of the city's revenue and put them on the map as a considerable independent power. <br /> <br /> While the creation and sale of warforged has long since become illegal, Xyra is still a poweful contender in the production of more standard constructs as well as other fabulous magical devices and weapons that makes them one of the richest of the City States. From simple animated toys played with by the Imperial heirs of Latanera, to the impressive Iron Golem known as the Collosus of Atalos who guards the gates of the royal palace in Erabissia, the mark of Xyra can be found across Antanides.<br /> <br /> While founded by wizards, Xyra is by no means only peopled by wizards. Other arcane spell casters (sorcerers, magi, summoners, eldritch knights, etc.) have also found a place there over the centuries, as well as more scholarly minded priests of worshiping gods of magic. Mnath is especially revered throughout the Xyra and is the closest thing to a patron god that the city has, but he is not he only one with a few other temples dedicated to Hessa and other gods of scholarly and magical interest. There's even a priest of Yog-Sothoth, though he is considered strange and contrary even by Xyra's standards. Aside from these are those that simply wish to learn and study, the city counts thousands of mundane scholars and experts on various subjects. But outnumbering all the rest of these put together are the common people of the city (bakers, shop keepers, city watch, etc.) men and women who despite having nothing to do with the city's purpose, are its life blood and keep it running, despite what the wizards in their towers might think.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Government Structure==<br /> <br /> Governmentally speaking, Xyra is a magocracy. It is ruled by a republican council of seven representatives, known as the Septemvirates. These seven councilors serve as legislators and judges over the city, maintaining the number of seven, in order to break ties in votes. The councilors are selected by a vote from all registered magic-using citizens. Taken from the greatest minds of the city, as well as the strictest and most fervent guardians of arcane magic, the councilors maintain order in Xyra, whilst each fulfilling a unique public service deemed important to wizardkind. Therefore, on the council, there is a Master of Libraries, Master of Education, Master of the Commonwealth, Master of War, Master of Making, Master of Adjudication, and Master of Mysteries. <br /> <br /> Alongside this, the council elects, from the most powerful of Wizard stock, and executive. An Archmage. The Archmage commands the most power of any individual in the city. He is the public face of the city, as well as the steward of the safety of the city. Wizards are not only wealthy in magical treasures, but also in secretive knowledge, and it is a full time job keeping such treasures safe from the outside world. In addition to the Archmage's already magnificent magical powers, he is, upon election, placed at the center of a powerful spellform that is tied to the city itself. This spellform, among other things, enables the Archmage to detect, or analyze (or even dispel) any spells or magical effects that are cast within the city limits. It also maintains the various protective magics that encircle the city, including a city-wide Dimensional Anchor effect, which prevents all teleportation, planar movement, and summoning spells in the area. When these sorts of spells are taught at the academy, the students leave the city limits in order to practice. As protector of the realm, The Archmage also commands the city watch.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=282417 2015-05-09T20:51:30Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Historical Timeline */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four soldiers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximillion Archus (Polesia)| Maximilion Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin [[Tiberius (Polesia) | Tiberius]]. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard [[Marlamin Gallantra (Polesia)| Marlamin Gallantra]], the half-orc sorcerer [[Shamar (Polesia | Shamar]], [[Mikhail Dalton | Mikhail Dalton]] an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, [[Decadus (Polesia) | Decadus]] the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,800 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for centuries.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. <br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors. In Asashiro the Elan build the Library City of Aoka and from there begin to spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dead City of Ep| Dead City of Ep]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city in the midst of the Necrolands, whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating and disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla ]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Notable Characters==<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]]<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Cronqvist, Sir Anthony]]<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]]<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Torzha | HaAdazha, Torzha]]<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Brekhan | HeBrekhan, Brekhan]]<br /> <br /> <br /> [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Mirumoto,Ryume]]</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Xyra&diff=281649 2015-04-25T02:05:48Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Xyra is a city state located in Antanides and situated in the mountains to the North of the ruins of Shahar-Khet and East of the city of Lattanis. It was started in 98 CA by a cabal of arcane casters led by Estrano Fiarius. It was intended to be a safe haven for wizards and other magical traditions to come and study out of the reach of either judicial or ecclesiastical reprisal. Fiarius especially had need of this haven so that he could continue to perfect his blasphemous art of drawing souls from people to create warforged soldiers. He was, however, in the minority and many of the spell casters simply wanted to research and excel at their craft. For many years Estrano ruled the city as its first Archmage, and while his treatment of slave volunteers was detestable, it could not be argued that he brought in a huge portion of the city's revenue and put them on the map as a considerable independent power. <br /> <br /> While the creation and sale of warforged has long since become illegal, Xyra is still a poweful contender in the production of more standard constructs as well as other fabulous magical devices and weapons that makes them one of the richest of the City States. From simple animated toys played with by the Imperial heirs of Latanera, to the impressive Iron Golem known as the Collosus of Atalos who guards the gates of the royal palace in Erabissia, the mark of Xyra can be found across Antanides.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Government Structure==<br /> <br /> Governmentally speaking, Xyra is a magocracy. It is ruled by a republican council of seven representatives, known as the council of seven. These seven councilors serve as legislators and judges over the city, maintaining the number of seven, in order to break ties in votes. The councilors are selected by a vote from all registered magic-using citizens. Taken from the greatest minds of the city, as well as the strictest and most fervent guardians of arcane magic, the councilors maintain order in Xyra, whilst each fulfilling a unique public service deemed important to wizardkind. Therefore, on the council, there is a Master of Libraries, Master of Education, Master of the Commonwealth, Master of War, Master of Making, Master of Adjudication, and Master of Mysteries. <br /> <br /> Alongside this, the council elects, from the most powerful of Wizard stock, and executive. An Archmage. The Archmage commands the most power of any individual in the city. He is the public face of the city, as well as the steward of the safety of the city. Wizards are not only wealthy in magical treasures, but also in secretive knowledge, and it is a full time job keeping such treasures safe from the outside world. In addition to the Archmage's already magnificent magical powers, he is, upon election, placed at the center of a powerful spellform that is tied to the city itself. This spellform, among other things, enables the Archmage to detect, or analyze (or even dispel) any spells or magical effects that are cast within the city limits. It also maintains the various protective magics that encircle the city, including a city-wide Dimensional Anchor effect, which prevents all teleportation, planar movement, and summoning spells in the area. When these sorts of spells are taught at the academy, the students leave the city limits in order to practice. As protector of the realm, The Archmage also commands the city watch.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesian_Elves&diff=281630 2015-04-24T20:35:23Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* General Characteristics */</p> <hr /> <div>The elves are one of the most advanced races in [[Polesia| Polesia]], having learned from elder races beyond the understanding of most mortals. While this has been the downfall of many civilizations, the elves have curiously managed to hold onto their core beliefs, self-identity, and sanity. Many see them as arrogant but they've displayed wisdom, knowing when to simply walk away from certain subjects while embracing others. Despite all this incredible luck over the millennia, the elves are and have been in slow decline, having few children and losing their people to the everyday dangers of Polesia. As a result their holdings that once included much of the world are now dwindling to a few strongholds that dot Antanides. Despite this fact there is one bit of hope for the elven heritage, for half-elves (born of human/elven coupling) and elflings (born of elven/halfling couplings) are starting to become more common and have the ability to breed true, possibly ushering in another incarnation of the elven people.<br /> <br /> ==General Characteristics==<br /> <br /> Unlike many fantasy rpg settings, elves are not the saintly defenders of wood and hollow. While they do have a deep connection to nature through their fey bloodline, and they are very peaceful, it is not necessarily due to altruism but rather pragmatism. If asked many elves would freely admit to longing to days of legend when their people ruled Polesia, bringing some sense of propriety and wisdome to the &quot;lesser&quot; races. But due to their declining numbers and declining numbers of fey allies in Polesia the elves stick mostly to their fortresses and forest retreats, using their natural stealth and expertise with ranged weaponry to take down despoilers and foes from a distance rather than lose even more of their numbers in an unnecessary pitched battle.<br /> <br /> Elves have long since lost their central governments (the last one Aredhel, was brutally destroyed by the kingdom of Shahar-Khet and the elves have yet to fully recover) and as such they operate very independently, using their own judgement or (more likely) following their own whims, and come together in force only when the situation is dire. But in general elves can be found just about everywhere in Polesia doing just about anything that most other races would do.<br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> While dwarves lived in caves and humans migrated through the wilderness, elves began to assimilate the culture of their former serpent folk masters. Many of the first elves lived in the ruins of the ancient serpent folk cities and studied their architecture as well as the tablets dealing with magic, society and their treatises dealing with the outer powers. While much of this was alien and repulsive to the early hominids the elves were able to pick and choose certain secrets that they could use without violating their own sense of morality. They also applied their own extensive animistic beliefs to serpent folk theology, “correcting” what they saw as flaws in the races depictions of certain deities and powerful spirits. Thus, elven society advanced rapidly, having a framework to start from. They rapidly built fortresses, trained animals and began to farm, making them the first true agrarian society. From these early settlements they set out to secure their lands, either driving out the humans they encountered or bringing them into the fold, either as serfs or slaves. They rarely had any interaction with the dwarves early on, and by the time they did, the dwarves were well situated in their mountain fortresses and the elves found their territory not worth the cost of a prolonged siege.<br /> <br /> The elves at this time were little different from humans save that they had better vision and senses than their seemingly dull kin. This changed quickly when the elven dreamers finally managed to plunge themselves into the deepest regions of the void and discovered the Dreamlands. There they first encountered the alien fey known as the Sidhe, who in curiosity followed these dreamers back to the physical world. The elves treated with these powers, seeing them as incarnations of nature and their gods. The Sidhe became fast allies of these interesting and temporary creatures, and many of them settled in the more rural elven lands, forming the first sacred groves and awakening the first treants and other speaking plants. After a time the fey influence of these powerful creatures and even direct interbreeding, produced the elves as they are known today. These new children, partially descended from the denizens of dream no longer dreamt themselves, and their years on the earth were greatly increased, some even attaining a sort of immortality (though these were rare and have mostly in the thousands of years since perished from violence).<br /> <br /> While this seemed to cement the elven hold on the world forever, it actually was their downfall. It was not in the nature of the fey to be prolific, and the fey born children were in turn almost all sterile (a sort of metaphorical price for their long years). With their birthrates becoming a small fraction of what it had been, the elven numbers began to dwindle as they fought and died to keep control of their territories. Within a thousand years the expansive elven empires became little more than strongholds and small holds where they could defend themselves with minimal risk. Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Xyra&diff=281385 2015-04-20T02:21:28Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Xyra is a city state located in Antanides and situated in the mountains to the North of the ruins of Shahar-Khet and East of the city of Lattanis. It was started in 98 CA by a cabal of arcane casters led by Estrano Fiarius. It was intended to be a safe haven for wizards and other magical traditions to come and study out of the reach of either judicial or ecclesiastical reprisal. Fiarius especially had need of this haven so that he could continue to perfect his blasphemous art of drawing souls from people to create warforged soldiers. He was, however, in the minority and many of the spell casters simply wanted to research and excel at their craft. For many years Estrano ruled the city as its first Archmage, and while his treatment of slave volunteers was detestable, it could not be argued that he brought in a huge portion of the city's revenue and put them on the map as a considerable independent power. <br /> <br /> While the creation and sale of warfoged has long since become illegal, Xyra is still a poweful contender in the production of more standard constructs as well as other fabulous magical devices and weapons that makes them one of the richest of the City States. From simple animated toys played with by the Imperial heirs of Latanera, to the impressive Iron Golem known as the Collosus of Atalos who guards the gates of the royal palace in Erabissia, the mark of Xyra can be found across Antanides.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Government Structure==<br /> <br /> Governmentally speaking, Xyra is a magocracy. It is ruled by a republican council of seven representatives, known as the council of seven. These seven councilors serve as legislators and judges over the city, maintaining the number of seven, in order to break ties in votes. The councilors are selected by a vote from all registered magic-using citizens. Taken from the greatest minds of the city, as well as the strictest and most fervent guardians of arcane magic, the councilors maintain order in Xyra, whilst each fulfilling a unique public service deemed important to wizardkind. Therefore, on the council, there is a Master of Libraries, Master of Education, Master of the Commonwealth, Master of War, Master of Making, Master of Adjudication, and Master of Mysteries. <br /> <br /> Alongside this, the council elects, from the most powerful of Wizard stock, and executive. An Archmage. The Archmage commands the most power of any individual in the city. He is the public face of the city, as well as the steward of the safety of the city. Wizards are not only wealthy in magical treasures, but also in secretive knowledge, and it is a full time job keeping such treasures safe from the outside world. In addition to the Archmage's already magnificent magical powers, he is, upon election, placed at the center of a powerful spellform that is tied to the city itself. This spellform, among other things, enables the Archmage to detect, or analyze (or even dispel) any spells or magical effects that are cast within the city limits. It also maintains the various protective magics that encircle the city, including a city-wide Dimensional Anchor effect, which prevents all teleportation, planar movement, and summoning spells in the area. When these sorts of spells are taught at the academy, the students leave the city limits in order to practice. As protector of the realm, The Archmage also commands the city watch.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=281203 2015-04-15T09:09:04Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Amarnethryn, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Air, Charm, Madness, Trickery, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Artifice, Charm, Glory, Knowledge, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the stars, deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=281202 2015-04-15T09:04:02Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Air, Charm, Madness, Trickery, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Artifice, Charm, Glory, Knowledge, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the stars, deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=280985 2015-04-09T22:11:31Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Charm, Glory, Knowledge, Protection, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the stars, deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=280984 2015-04-09T22:07:19Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Protection, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the stars, deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Ratfolk&diff=280754 2015-04-04T23:48:42Z

<p>Godofmusic: Created page with &quot; Around the time that the Dawn People were making war on the serpentfolk, a second group of mammals developed sentience. These creatures dubbed rodentia scitus by modern scho...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div><br /> <br /> Around the time that the Dawn People were making war on the serpentfolk, a second group of mammals developed sentience. These creatures dubbed rodentia scitus by modern scholars developed in an way that almost paralleled homo primus, starting as tree dwelling creatures and then as the forests began to vanish, descending to the ground and learning to manipulate objects with their hands, etc. <br /> <br /> <br /> That being said, ratfolk (as the Nezumi are often called by humanoids) are looked down upon, believed by many to be hopelessly inferior and backward. While ratfolk certainly have an alien mindset compared to that of hominids they are no less intelligent, and their strange behavior is as natural to them as are most of the fundamental qualities of most humanoids. Still, ratfolk are not largely accepted into humanoid society, and have by necessity carved out their own territories underground in the larger forests, suffered by most races to live in close proximity but never to really mingle. The only exception to this has been the enterprising gnomes, who view the ratfolk as useful tools and will often do business with them, giving ratfolk a great reputation as traders, and the gnomes a convenient scapegoat if a deal should go south. True to their origins ratfolk remain scavengers at the edge of society, though it is rumored that below ground, just beyond the dwarven claimed territories that ratfolk are breeding en masse and that more than a few goblin tribes have simply vanished, possibly heralding a time when the race will at last start asserting itself toward dominance. While an individual ratfolk is small and hardly a threat, the thought of huge armies of the sentient vermin cause many to lose sleep at night, for humans largely conquered the world through their proliferation and ratfolk are far better at it than they are.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279961 2015-03-24T11:35:51Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the stars, deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279666 2015-03-18T20:37:37Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra|Ashtra (Polesia)]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the star, they venrate deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279665 2015-03-18T20:36:20Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Worldly Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''(Ashtra|Ashtra_Polesia), Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the star, they venrate deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279664 2015-03-18T20:34:14Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren't considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. Orignally the beliefs of the Aghenti tribes that used to wander all of northern Antanides, who in turn learned it from the elves, all druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorporated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like Epka and Typhera adopting a more druidic style to their worship). In the Freedlands and on the fringes of Avandor the Old Faith holds strongest and many the tribes carry a totem of their region's protective spirit (or manatu) that they venerate above all others. These totems may be animals, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog, others may be specific landmarks such as the Sacred Tree in Woodheart or (long ago) the volcano that would become Mt. Keitos. The manatu vary from tribe to tribe, some are protective parental figures that wander with their tribes to protect them. Others are distant and never leave their single spot unless entreated with sacrifice (which itself can vary between food and prayers, to human blood). The Old Faith has many different sects, but its oldest (some would actually argue that this is the original) is a group of priests that venerate not the spirits of the earth but rather wayward spirits of the sky who they say seeded all life on earth and then returned to the star, they venrate deities with strange names like Shub-Niggurath, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth. Domains are Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Sun, Water, War, or Weather.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279663 2015-03-18T20:15:19Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals */</p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N):''' The name given to the collective faiths of the barbarian tribes that can now be found mostly in the Freedlands, the old faith is the veneration of the earth and the forces of nature as well as a collection of powerful spirits and sometimes fey creatures. All druidic tradition stems from the Old Faith, but many have incorperated more modern deities or ideals into this ancient belief (and vice versa with many clerics of the more naturally inclined gods like <br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279662 2015-03-18T20:10:39Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):''' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN):''' Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN):''' Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE):''' We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE):''' More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE):''' A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN):''' A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE):''' The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE):''' A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE):''' The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN):''' A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE):''' The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE):''' This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE):''' Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN):''' While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN):''' A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN):''' An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N):''' One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN):''' An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N):''' Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N):''' A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> '''Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N):''' One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N):''' A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG):''' Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG):''' One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN):''' Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N):''' Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N):''' A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN):''' A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG):''' The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire (N):''' A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N):''' Nikandros is the humanized version of the elven deity Faeglîr, a deity of art and music. When the Lattanerans incorperated him into their pantheon he was also portrayed as a god of victory and glory. While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN):''' Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N):''' A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN):''' The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN):''' Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE):''' A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG):''' A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (LG):''' Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG):''' Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279661 2015-03-18T19:57:55Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> 'Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN): Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN): Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE): We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE): More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE): A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN): A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE): The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE): A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE): The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN): A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE): The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE): This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE): Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN): While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN): A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN): An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N): One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN): An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N): Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N): A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N): One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N): A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG): Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG): One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN): Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N): Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N): A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN): A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG): The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire: (N) A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N): While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN): Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N): A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> Dwarven Ancestors (LN): The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN): Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> Snjór and Logi (NE): A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> St. Archelon (LG): A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> <br /> The White Fox (NG): Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection<br /> <br /> The Phoenix (LG): Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279660 2015-03-18T19:57:34Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> ''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN):'' Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN): Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN): Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE): We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE): More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE): A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN): A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE): The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE): A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE): The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN): A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE): The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE): This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE): Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN): While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN): A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN): An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N): One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN): An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N): Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N): A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N): One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N): A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG): Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG): One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN): Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N): Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N): A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN): A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG): The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire: (N) A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N): While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN): Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N): A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> Dwarven Ancestors (LN): The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN): Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> Snjór and Logi (NE): A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> St. Archelon (LG): A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> <br /> The White Fox (NG): Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection<br /> <br /> The Phoenix (LG): Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279591 2015-03-17T00:11:16Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>==The Primal Gods==<br /> <br /> Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN): Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN): Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN): Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE): We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE): More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE): A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN): A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE): The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE): A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE): The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN): A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE): The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE): This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE): Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN): While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN): A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN): An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N): One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN): An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N): Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N): A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N): One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N): A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG): Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG): One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN): Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N): Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N): A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN): A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG): The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire: (N) A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery<br /> . <br /> Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N): While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN): Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N): A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> Dwarven Ancestors (LN): The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN): Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> Snjór and Logi (NE): A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> St. Archelon (LG): A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> <br /> The White Fox (NG): Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection<br /> <br /> The Phoenix (LG): Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279590 2015-03-17T00:10:24Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>===The Primal Gods===<br /> <br /> Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN): Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN): Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN): Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE): We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE): More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE): A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN): A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE): The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE): A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE): The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN): A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE): The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE): This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Elder Gods===<br /> <br /> Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE): Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> Hypnos, Olthahîr, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN): While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN): A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN): An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N): One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN): An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N): Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N): A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Worldly Gods===<br /> <br /> Ashtra, Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N): One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N): A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG): Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG): One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN): Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N): Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N): A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN): A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG): The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> Melixia, Maiden’s Sigh, Maiden of Congress, Secret Desire: (N) A scandalous goddess of love, pain, and delirium, her cult has more or less displaced Shub-Niggurath’s Magna Mater cult in Lattanis. Her worshipers are of all races and genders, any who appreciate the power of unrestrained and open minded love. This has however engendered the ascension of a new sect in recent years, a secret society that venerates her as the Maiden of Shadows. Known as the Maiden’s Shadows, these typically rich and powerful cultists see Melixia as a force of dominion and power, using love, pain, and sometimes madness (while the Maiden’s Shadows are never CE, some of their followers, or rather victims, are) to gain control as well as darker pleasures. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, and Trickery<br /> . <br /> Nikandros, The Muse, Faeglîr (Song of the Soul), Light of the World (N): While thought of as one of the more mercurial gods, Nikandros supports disciplined art (such as architecture and poetry) as well as the more free spirited art. He is also considered the inspiration of great invention and new ideas, which in some cases is starting to put him in contention with the Triumvirate as the patron of human civilization. While his worshipers are generally looked upon as being upstanding and a boon to their people, strictly speaking Nikandros also supports the darker side of human innovation and art as well. Some mystery cults actually venerate this side of him (Musaskio) as the consort of Melixia’s Maiden of Shadows. Domains are Air, Charm, Glory, Luck, Protection.<br /> <br /> Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN): Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N): A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals===<br /> <br /> Dwarven Ancestors (LN): The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War. <br /> <br /> Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN): Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory<br /> <br /> Snjór and Logi (NE): A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> St. Archelon (LG): A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> <br /> The White Fox (NG): Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection<br /> <br /> The Phoenix (LG): Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=279415 2015-03-12T09:42:37Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Elder Gods */</p> <hr /> <div>The gods in [[Polesia|Polesia]] are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Primal Gods== <br /> <br /> These are the gods that sprang forth from the Primal Chaos at the beginning of the Cosmos:<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN)''': Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN)''': Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN)''': Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> These are the great and terrible beings of the Cosmos, that dwell in depths of the earth, sea, and the darkness between the stars:<br /> <br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE)''': We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE)''': More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE)''': A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN)''': A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE)''': The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE)''': A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE)''': The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN)''': A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE)''': The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE)''': This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery<br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> These are the great powers worshiped since long before the modern pantheon gained prominence:<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE)''': Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN)''': A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN)''': While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N)''': Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN)''': An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, and Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N)''': One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN)''': An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N)''': A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> These are largely the gods of Lattanera who were adopted greatly from the Thesians, Eshtorans and then barbarians of the City States in Central Antanides, all of which are widely worshiped today:<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra | Ashtra]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N)''': One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG)''': One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N)''': A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N)''': A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather. <br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG)''': The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG)''': Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN)''': Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N)''': Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN)''': A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N)''': A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN)''': Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> These are some of the greatest cult faiths as well as regional, and racial specific faiths that hold dominance in certain portions of Antanides and the lands beyond:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN)''': The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War.<br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN)''': Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory.<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE)''': A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG)''': A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N)''': This is a collective of the religious beliefs and ceremonies of the barbarian tribes of north-western Antanides. Very few of their religious leaders are clerics, most are druids or simply priests with nature domains. While worshiped in sometimes drastically different ways depending on the region almost all branches hold some of the basic tenants to heart. Many of the barbarian tribes take up an animal totem that is supposed to represent the local incarnation of nature (or ''manatu'') of their particular region, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog.<br /> <br /> '''The Rising Phoenix (LG)''': Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG)''': Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=The_Gods_of_Polesia&diff=278447 2015-02-26T01:45:07Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals */</p> <hr /> <div>The gods in [[Polesia|Polesia]] are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Primal Gods== <br /> <br /> These are the gods that sprang forth from the Primal Chaos at the beginning of the Cosmos:<br /> <br /> '''Azathoth, OM, The Demon Sultan, Ultimate Chaos, The Maker and the Eater (CN)''': Progenitor of Entropy and Chaos and believed by most of the outer powers to be the first god. Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Shub-Niggurath, Damara, Magna Mater, The Black Ewe with a Thousand Young (CN)''': Progenitor of life, fertility goddess to the elves, orcs, goblins, and various races across the world, though her worship is considered lewd and unwholesome to most humans. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Plant, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Yog-Sothoth, Umr at-Tawil, Aforgomon, Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate (CN)''': Progenitor of time and dimension, often prayed too by deviant wizards who want ultimate knowledge with no care to the cost. Domains are Darkness, Knowledge, Magic, Madness, Travel, and Void.<br /> <br /> ==The Old Ones==<br /> <br /> These are the great and terrible beings of the Cosmos, that dwell in depths of the earth, sea, and the darkness between the stars:<br /> <br /> <br /> '''Cthulhu, The Dreaming God, Lord of R’lyeh, The Highest Priest of the Outer Gods (CE)''': We all know who he is. Domains are Chaos, Destruction, Madness, and Void.<br /> <br /> '''Cthugha, Fiery Vampire of the Stars, Elder Flame (CE)''': More of monster occasionally summoned by fools than a true deity, he’s made of fiery energy and sucks the life out of any he encounters. His domains are Chaos, Evil, Fire, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Chaugnar Faugn, Horror of the Hills, The Elephant God (CE)''': A regional “deity” worshiped mostly in Dhumarja’s less inhabited portion of the Ganju Forest, most of the time he looks like some horrific statue of an anthropomorphic elephant, until he needs to feed. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Death, and Destruction.<br /> <br /> '''Eihort, Shub-Niggurath’s Handmaid, The Crawling Womb (CN)''': A monster who does not accept worship but rather hosts for her monstrous young, looks like a bloated sack on hundreds of insectile legs. Domains are Animal, Chaos, Destruction, and Madness.<br /> <br /> '''Father Dagon, The Shadow in the Sea, The Fisher From Below (CE)''': The demon lord patron of the deep ones and many other aquatic races. Domains are Chaos, Evil, Destruction, and Water.<br /> <br /> '''Hastur, He Who is Not Named, The King in Yellow, Master of Carcosa (NE)''': A great shapeless mass concealed mercifully beneath a tattered yellow cloak, said to be from a distant star. Domains are Destruction, Evil, Madness, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Ithaqua, Wind Walker, Elder Wendigo (NE)''': The oldest known windego who haunts the far north of Antanides, though he can quickly go anywhere in the world that he wants. Domains are Air, Evil, Madness, and Weather.<br /> <br /> '''M’har, Ethavos, The Thundering Fire, The Burning Heart (CN)''': A monstrous worm like creature that lurks in the heart of Mt. Keitos, but can also erupt from any mountain. Domains are Destruction, Earth, Fire, and Vengeance.<br /> <br /> '''Nyarlathotep, Keltek, The Crawling Chaos, The Haunter in the Dark, The Black King, the Dark Protean, Larva of Azathoth, et al (CE)''': The Avatar/agent of Azathoth, he functions like the devil, trying to corrupt and destroy everything around him, never in the same form twice. Domains are Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Magic, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Xamen-Dor, The Star Seed, The Fallen Messiah (NE)''': This monster fell from space millions of years ago amidst some remote mountain range where it has bided its time, though with the rise of the mortal races it has become strangely active, creating a cult of undead-like creatures. Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery<br /> <br /> ==The Elder Gods==<br /> <br /> These are the great powers worshiped since long before the modern pantheon gained prominence:<br /> <br /> '''Asmodeus, Azhatahn, Slaver of Souls, Lord of Lies, Prince of Perdition, Hierophant of Hell (LE)''': Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Travel, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kashtet, Mother of Cats, Mnath’s Familiar (LN)''': A protection deity from Shahar-Khet, depicted as a human with the head and claws of a lioness. Domains are Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Hypnos, Lord of Dreams, Eternity’s Edge, Keeper of the Stairs (CN)''': While often included in the more modern pantheon of Thesian gods that spread throughout the world, he was actually around long before them with various guises and names but always the god of dreams, prophecy, and nightmares. Domains are Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Nodens, Nuada Silverhand, The Lord of the Wild Hunt, Stalker of the Abyss (N)''': Possibly one of the few mortals that ascended to godhood through unknown means, Nodens was once the Lataneran interpretation of the elven hunting deity Nuada. He is largely not worshiped by humans anymore but the elves still venerate him with sacrifice during high summer. Domains are Animal, Destruction, Luck, Strength, Trickery, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Karakagdh, Lord of the Sidhe, The Fey King, The Shifting Element (CN)''': An older elven god of the seasons and the deeper woods, he is more intoned in small personal prayers than any actual rituals. Domains are Animal, Madness Magic, Plant, are Protection.<br /> <br /> '''Mordiggian, The Charnel God, The Warrior’s Last Breath, The Great Vulture (N)''': One of the most ancient interpretations of the god of death, he is worshiped highly in Eshtora and even Dhumarja. Domains are Death, Destruction, Repose, and War.<br /> <br /> '''Mnath, The Great Examiner, The Answer in the Dark, Lord of Riddles (LN)''': An ancient Shahar-Khet god of scholars and arcanology, he is viewed as an elderly man with the shrewd piercing gaze of an eagle. Knowledge, Magic, Law, Travel, Trickery, Protection<br /> <br /> '''Oryx, Fiery Gullet, Light in the Void, The Last Star (N)''': A god imagined by the ancient Thesians to be in charge of the movement of stars across the sky. Domains are Fire, Death, Destruction, Sun, and Void.<br /> <br /> ==The Worldly Gods==<br /> <br /> These are largely the gods of Lattanera who were adopted greatly from the Thesians, Eshtorans and then barbarians of the City States in Central Antanides, all of which are widely worshiped today:<br /> <br /> '''[[Ashtra | Ashtra]], Spirit Mother, Spinner of Fate (N)''': One of the oldest of the modern gods still held in esteem by most of civilization. Everyone who worships the gods has said at least one prayer to her during their lives, as she is recognized as the chief goddess of fate. Domains are Death, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, and Rune.<br /> <br /> '''Epka, Lady of Harvest, Grain Mother, The Shifting Season (CG)''': One of the most popular goddesses to the common people, especially farmers who venerate her every autumn with a great feast. Domains are Animal, Earth, Good, Healing, and Plant.<br /> <br /> '''Kalaedes, Master of Roads, Trader King, Messenger of the Gods (N)''': A beloved god of many bards, rogues, rangers, messengers and merchants who live their lives on the road, no real clergy per se, though there are numerous shrines to him at crossroads and in inns dedicated to him and he is often called upon before important trades or business negotiations. Domains are Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Protection, and Travel.<br /> <br /> '''Typhera, Lady of Storms, Cycle of the Sea (N)''': A goddess of the high seas who is worshiped by sailors and merchants, she’s also venerated alongside Kalaedes as the goddess of trade. Domains are Animal, Luck, Travel, Water, and Weather. <br /> <br /> '''Klepio-The High Physician, Reliever of Ailments (NG)''': The god of health and wellbeing, worshiped by physicians who study with his priests to gain a better understanding of medicine and the healing arts. Domains are Community, Healing, Magic, Nobility, and Repose.<br /> <br /> '''Ekosis, Our Lord of Morning, Standard of the Gods, Father of Light (NG)''': Possibly a derivative of the Shahar-Khet deity Ekebesh, he is the god of the sun and glory, and is worshiped in concert with Epka by farmers and many others. Domains are Good, Glory, Healing, Weather, and Sun.<br /> <br /> '''Erabis, The Father of Heaven, Lord of Lords, King of Courts, the Great Judge (LN)''': Without question Erabis is the prime god of northern, human civilization, venerated by judicial personnel rulers and law enforcement as well as those that depend on them, one of the Triumvirates. Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, War<br /> <br /> '''Hessa, Queen of the Gods, The First Enchantress, Keeper of the Great Mystery (N)''': Seen as the heart of communal civilization, she is worshiped primarily by women but is often venerated by poets and bards of both genders, one of the Triumvarates. Domains are Community, Magic, Knowledge, Protection, Trickery<br /> <br /> '''Kaleros, Lord of Rogues, The Red Revolutionist, Freedom’s Call (CN)''': A newer god of conspiracy and dedicated to the downfall of tyrants who ironically has a temple next to and is said to be the son of Erabis, one of the Triumvarates. He is a sort of check on the ruling powers while at the same time conveniently allowing them to see who views their rule with dissatisfaction. Domains are Chaos, Community, Liberation, Luck, and Trickery.<br /> <br /> '''Atalos, The Warlord, General of the Red Star (N)''': A god of soldiers, mercenaries and the generals that drive them into often dishonorable combat. Aside from the officers that might prefer to pray to Erabis, almost no soldier goes into battle without saying at least some small prayer to Atalos. Destruction, Glory, Trickery, Strength, War<br /> <br /> '''Ramna, Vengeance’s Double-edged Sword, the Adversary, Inescapable Retribution (CN)''': Like Kaleros, Ramnos is against injustice but she is not interested with personal freedoms of her worshipers as much as the destruction of those who wronged them. Her worship is not an acceptable one in mainstream society, but many at one point in time or another have made sacrifices that her visage might fall on their enemies. Death, Destruction, Magic, Strength, Trickery<br /> <br /> ==Regional Gods/Heroes/Ideals==<br /> <br /> These are some of the greatest cult faiths as well as regional, and racial specific faiths that hold dominance in certain portions of Antanides and the lands beyond:<br /> <br /> '''Dwarven Ancestors (LN)''': The dwarves long ago spurned the worship of outsiders or monsters as gods and instead turned their veneration to the collective spirits of the dead, not in a necromantic sort of way but rather revering their long gone strength, wisdom, and power. The Ancestors simultaneously protect the dwarven people and their specific families and are generally called upon by priests, though any dwarf can pray to them or call out to them in their time of need. It is believed that the further into the earth a dwarf is the closer he is to the ancestors and therefore the easier it is for them to hear his call and come to his aid. Domains are Artificer, Community, Glory, Protection, and Repose (Ancestor Subdomain), War.<br /> <br /> '''Pharizon, The Last God-King (CN)''': Almost more like an old one at this point, Pharizon was the last of Shahar-Khet’s sorcerer kings that made a pact with Nyarlathotep for immortality, it backfired and he became a monster unable to hold his shape, but some still seek his wisdom amongst the ashes of his kingdom. Domains are Magic, Knowledge, and Glory.<br /> <br /> '''Snjór and Logi (NE)''': A dualistic faith that reveres two legendary giants that are said to be infused with the powers of snow (Snjór) and flame (Logi). Both are said to dwell in the most inhospitable parts of the north and while they are said to be at odds with each other they are usually worshiped in tandem by their giant (and occasionally human) cultists. Domains are Fire, Destruction, Rune, and Water. <br /> <br /> '''St. Archelon (LG)''': A justicar of Lacaeta who had such piety that the priests of Erabis declared him consecrated upon his death, and legend held that his spirit along with those of his chosen champions guard the city still. Community, Law, Protection<br /> <br /> '''The Old Faith (N)''': This is a collective of the religious beliefs and ceremonies of the barbarian tribes of north-western Antanides. Very few of their religious leaders are clerics, most are druids or simply priests with nature domains. While worshiped in sometimes drastically different ways depending on the region almost all branches hold some of the basic tenants to heart. Many of the barbarian tribes take up an animal totem that is supposed to represent the local incarnation of nature (or ''manatu'') of their particular region, such as the Grandfather Bear, the Great Wolf, or the Hunting Dog.<br /> <br /> '''The Rising Phoenix (LG)''': Formed by paladins and justicars that were unsatisfied by the moral ambiguity of the Erabisian clergy, they are technically heretics but they aren’t considered a threat and so are left more or less to themselves. Domains are Glory, Protection, and War.<br /> <br /> '''The White Fox (NG)''': Unintentionally spread by the kitsune Shinta when she worked as travelling healer, her good example sparked the hearts of many who began venerating her as a messenger of the gods. Domains are Healing, Good, and Protection.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Haman_(Polesia)&diff=275951 2015-01-17T07:18:44Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Haman is current ruler of the [[Belteshazzar (Polesia)| Belteshazzar]]. He has awakened the gift of his people and as such is virtually immortal, having lived over a thousand years and being harder to kill than most would believe possible. Because of this power and the tragedies he suffered as a young man, Haman believes himself to be the rightful god of humanity, and the only one who can save the world from itself. The frightening thing is that despite his obvious delusions, Haman is not far from his goal to dominate all of the world. His mythic gift is probably the most powerful seen since Enkil of Shahar-Khet, and his single minded pursuit of power, coupled with his nigh inexhaustible patience, make him a very dangerous adversary.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Character Abilities==<br /> <br /> Like all Belteshazzar, Haman is more powerful than typical humans, and in addition to this he has fully realized the power of his bloodline. Haman has an extremely magnetic personality, and despite his obvious manic episodes, he seems to be able to turn most into fanatic followers. His powers of speech are only matched by his aptitude for magic, another gift of his lineage, as well as an almost encyclopedic knowledge of antiquary subjects especially anything to do with history and arcane magic. He's also fairly good with a sword, and deadly in close combat. But of course that which would make most of his enemies pause is the fact that he has the resources of the island nation of Kmet-Tha at his disposal making him one of the most powerful independent dictators in [[Polesia| Polesia]].<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Character History==<br /> <br /> Haman is the child of second cousins Enlil and Salome, both scions of the ancient Belteshazzar bloodline, born shortly after his people's traumatic retreat from the Lattanerans as they invaded Narem-Kumat, on the island that his people named Kmet-Tha (Black Earth from the Sea). <br /> <br /> While his people were disheartened that a lesser race of men had defeated them they adapted as they had time and again and rebuilt their civilization, spreading across the island and securing it against any future invasion.<br /> <br /> Haman was brought up in seclusion for most of his early years, segregated from other children of lesser blood. During these years his only companions were a few select servants and his books, which he took to like a fish to water. When he was twelve his father finally consented to allow him to socialize freely, and while Haman struggled for several years through teenage awkwardness worsened by his years of isolation, he soon learned to art of diplomacy and became quite charming by the time he was eighteen.<br /> <br /> Of course this charm was not wasted, and Haman had several dalliances, to the horror of his bloodline obsessed father. To end these affairs once and for all Enlil promised his son to a close relative, hoping that his son simply needed to pointed in the right direction. However, Haman’s bride to be was not to his liking, a spoiled elitist whose beauty was not nearly what she imagined it to be. Haman all but ignored her when possible and spent his free time away from the court as much as possible.<br /> <br /> It was on one of these forays that he for the first time fell in love. While wandering the through the hills near the center Kmet-Tha Haman happened upon a hot spring where he heard a woman singing. Investigating the noise, he came upon a young woman dark of hair and eye, with skin the color of the dusky earth. Haman greeted her warmly and after speaking with her for a few hours, talked her into his arms. This young woman, Jessa, would become his mistress for a number of years, and one of his most carefully guarded secrets.<br /> <br /> But no matter how he guarded her, Enlil was a sorcerer of some renown, a prodigy whose talent rivaled the kings of Shahar-khet. Soon after he became suspicious he discovered his son’s affair and decided that more definitive action was to be taken before Haman created a scandal or a bastard of inferior blood. <br /> <br /> Dragging both Haman and Jessa before him, Enlil made his son watch as he executed the girl by burning her alive. Naturally something deep in Haman snapped. Ancient power flowed untapped in the family blood, but few ever realized its true potential. That day Haman did, though he did not understand exactly what had happened. Something awoke in his mind and he suddenly realized that it would be easy to shirk his father’s magic and kill the guards. So he did. Little is known of the exact details but suffice to say Enlil did not survive for long as his awakened son went on a rampage killing his father and all who dared to lay hands on him for that crime. <br /> <br /> Haman quickly consolidated his new power and brought all but a few splinter groups under his sway. These few called him a kinslayer and left the island before he was able to do the same to them. Haman let them go, and focused on making improvements to his new kingdom, abolishing many of his father’s laws and for a time was very popular with the lower classes. He took multiple lovers over the next ten years but none ever replaced Jessa and he found himself trying to fill a void and frustratingly unable to do so. As the years went on Haman began to think of Jessa almost as a goddess, making her his ideal woman that he could never have and that the world had cruelly snatched from him.<br /> <br /> The fact of his near immortality came as something of a slowly realized surprise, Haman was older but his body did not age past his late twenties. People began to speak of the ancient power in his bloodline, and many began to worship him as a living god, associating him with music and arts, for Haman did not let his talents go idle and brought in artists and musicians and culture from across the world. Haman did not dissuade them and actually began to believe it himself, and started to turn his attention outward toward the rest of the world. Slowly but surely, a new hunger asserted itself in his mind and he looked to Antanides, which was now divided and weakening with the waning of the Lattaneran Empire. Partly from a strange sort of pity, and partly due to imperious nature of his bloodline, Haman decided that he needed to save the world from itself and bring it under his benevolent rule. In time though, this benevolent rule became a thin façade. As he started to see himself more and more as a living god, and the rightful ruler of the world, Haman’s rule became more dictatorial and soon he outlawed the worship of any god other than himself.<br /> <br /> This was the final straw for many of his people, who rightly saw that he had gone insane. They tried to wrest power from him, and thus sparked a brutal civil war. Haman’s chief rival in all of this was a military leader named Absalom who through unknown means had awakened the power of the Belteshazzar bloodline also. Haman sensed this, and in a state that mixed jealousy with paranoia, put all of his might into destroying Absalom and his kin to extinguish any other possible rivals.<br /> <br /> Absalom however managed to escape Haman’s clutches, along with his wife and a small army of retainers. Not much is known of the time that Absalom spent in exile, but one year later Haman’s agents discovered him with a large mercenary army with people from across the world under his banner, building fortifications on a nearby island. Haman had had enough. This time he approached the situation more directly and made sure to cut off Absalom’s escape before leading the rest of his forces personally to destroy his hated foe. The two immortals fought a titanic battle in the midst of conflict, and while Haman was grievously injured, the older immortal proved once and for all that he was more powerful and struck his rival down, though he did not kill him immediately.<br /> <br /> Haman, ever the clever politician and still held by most on Kmet-tha to be a god, managed to turn any naysayers’ arguments aside, citing the fact that Absalom was obviously planning to invade their sacred kingdom with an army of barbarians intent on forcing foreign rule upon them. He also made a huge spectacle of the victory, to prove that when the time was right, he would in fact lead them to victory over the rest of the world and restore their ancient bloodline to its proper place as the ruler of all humanity. The culmination of the victory celebration was a great sacrifice of Absalom’s captains and then finally Absalom himself. When the rival immortal was slain, however something unexpected happened. The sacrifices that Haman occasionally orchestrated for himself were largely a showy execution, but when Absalom’s blood was spilled on the alter Haman felt a great surge of power, as though in some way he had taken the other’s power into himself. Emboldened by this, Haman set his plans into motion, sending out emissaries across the world, to prepare the way for his coming. <br /> <br /> A scholar of world history, Haman learned from the mistakes of countless generals, and realized that while it was possible for him to simply crush the Lattaneran Empire, it served a better purpose as a scapegoat, as did the blooming Avandor Dominion in the north. For now he would simply infiltrate, spread his faith and build contacts everywhere so that when he deemed that the time was right, he could simply set these followers ablaze with the idea of revolution and then claim the spoils when the dust settled. From that time on he has been spreading his influence across the world, already his cults can be found across Antanides, venerating this undying and charismatic god of music.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Dead_City_of_Ep&diff=275950 2015-01-17T07:17:15Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Ep is an ancient city of unknown origin and strange geometry built in ways that make little sense to most architects and scholars that have walked its desolate streets and crumbling (yet surprisingly intact) structures. There are some advanced (and slightly deranged) arcanologists that believe the city is so confusing because mortal creatures can only view it in the common four dimensions of everyday experience. No one is certain how old the city actually is or what its purpose must have been but for millenia it has been used by a variety of insane cults and power hungry arcane casters as a place of strange almost bacchanalian rites or sinister arcane rituals. Being situated so far from civilization the city sat on the sidelines of history, that is until the coming of Rhone the Reaper who, in 1022 CA, used the city's unusual properties to raise an army of dead minions to conquer Antanides. This led to the Black Crusade and eventually Rhone's apparent end at the hands of the Erabisian warpriest Dioclese the Stern, who drove his sacred spear into the monster and in a valiant sacrifice, managed to imprison him in a great structure that has become known as the Black Temple. From that time on Ep has been silent save for the herds of mindless dead wandering the mazelike streets seemingly without direction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> According to the fractions of written lore and mutable oral history of orc and human tribes native to the region, Ep was first discovered by the Aghenti humans that once ranged from the north-western shores at the mouth of the Inlet Sea in the west to the Thermal Sea in the East. None know exactly when this discovery took place but most scholars estimate that it was somewhere between -3,000 CA and -1,200 CA.<br /> <br /> They largely stayed clear of the place, and it has haunted their legends as a place of dark beings, ancient beyond comprehension that preyed on the warriors that got too close, taking flesh, blood, and souls for unknowable purposes. Later shamans, however, began dangerous pilgrimages into the city's depths when the Aghenti began encountering larger and larger numbers of enemy human and orc tribes that migrated into their lands and drove them away from their resources. To combat the more advanced weaponry of their foes, the shamans sought new power among the ruins, trading their souls and far too many of their people for strange powers. Despite these gains however, the combination of the sacrifices necessary and the amount of time needed to make any meaningful progress, the Aghenti were largely reduced in numbers and by the time of the Lattaneran Expeditionary forces led by the legendary General Solenus Remelius they were largely absorbed by other tribes or slaughtered, their way of life and the secrets they had gleaned from the City lost to history. <br /> <br /> Though the Aghenti were the main people to have contact with the City they were by no means the only ones in recorded history to set foot in the place. Countless stories exist of human, dwarven, elven, and orc heroes who braved the strange City, most ending in utter tragedy but also a precious few of people making their way out with their lives and even great artifacts and treasure. These small victories, however, were more often than not poisoned by later tragedies as the treasures were largely to the detriment of whoever owned them, bringing misery and madness to any in their vicinity and most were disposed of or sealed away.<br /> <br /> <br /> For most of its recorded existence Ep remained an ominous curiosity, always, inescapably there but never really inhabited save by the occasional cultists or arcane researchers who sought to tap into its legendary power for numerous reasons, none of them good, and none of them coming to fruition. None that is until 1021 CA and the coming of the monster known to the world as Rhone the Reaper.<br /> <br /> Rhone the Reaper, or Rhone Tavier was a drow vampire, and a sorcerer of incredible power. No one knew anything of him save the name that he gave those before he offered them the choice of dying quickly or slowly. Even the drow had no inclining of his origins as the House of Tavier had been lost for uncounted years.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Dead_City_of_Ep&diff=275948 2015-01-17T05:10:18Z

<p>Godofmusic: Created page with &quot;Ep is an ancient city of unknown origin and strange geometry built in ways that make little sense to most architects and scholars that have walked its desolate streets and cru...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>Ep is an ancient city of unknown origin and strange geometry built in ways that make little sense to most architects and scholars that have walked its desolate streets and crumbling (yet surprisingly intact) structures. There are some advanced (and slightly deranged) arcanologists that believe the city is so confusing because mortal creatures can only view it in the common four dimensions of everyday experience. No one is certain how old the city actually is or what its purpose must have been but for millenia it has been used by a variety of insane cults and power hungry arcane casters as a place of strange almost bacchanalian rites or sinister arcane rituals. Being situated so far from civilization the city sat on the sidelines of history, that is until the coming of Rhone the Reaper who, in 1022 CA, used the city's unusual properties to raise an army of dead minions to conquer Antanides. This led to the Black Crusade and eventually Rhone's apparent end at the hands of the Erabisian warpriest Dioclese the Stern, who drove his sacred spear into the monster and in a valiant sacrifice, managed to imprison him in a great structure that has become known as the Black Temple. From that time on Ep has been silent save for the herds of mindless dead wandering the mazelike streets seemingly without direction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> According to the fractions of written lore and mutable oral history of orc and human tribes native to the region, Ep was first discovered by the Aghenti humans that once ranged from the north-western shores at the mouth of the Inlet Sea in the west to the Thermal Sea in the East. None know exactly when this discovery took place but most scholars estimate that it was somewhere between -3,000 CA and -1,200 CA.<br /> <br /> They large stayed clear of the place, and it has haunted their legends as a place of dark beings, ancient beyond comprehension that preyed on the warriors that got too close, taking flesh, blood, and souls for unknowable purposes. Later shamans, however, began dangerous pilgrimages into the city's depths when the Aghenti began encountering larger and larger numbers of enemy human and orc tribes that migrated into their lands and drove them away from their resources. To combat the more advanced weaponry of their foes, the shamans sought new power amongst the ruins, trading their souls and far too many of their people for strange powers. Despite these gains however, the combination of the sacrifices necessary and the amount of time needed to make any meaningful progress, the Aghenti were largely reduced in numbers and by the time of the Lattaneran Expeditionary forces led by the legendary General Solenus Remelius they were largely absorbed by other tribes or destroyed, their way of life and the secrets they had gleaned from the City lost to history. <br /> <br /> Though the Aghenti were the main people to have contact with the City they were by no means the only ones in recorded history to set foot in the place. Countless stories exist of human, dwarven, elven, and orc heroes who braved the strange City, most ending in utter tragedy but also a precious few of people making their way out with their lives and even great artifacts and treasure. These small victories, however, were more often than not poisoned by later tragedies as the treasures were largely to the detriment of whoever owned them, bringing misery and madness to any in their vicinity and most were disposed of or sealed away.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275947 2015-01-17T03:45:24Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Lands of Polesia */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dead City of Ep| Dead City of Ep]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city in the midst of the Necrolands, whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating and disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla ]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275946 2015-01-17T03:42:55Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Lands of Polesia */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion (Polesia)| Avandor Dominion]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dead City of Ep (Polesia)| Dead City of Ep]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city in the midst of the Necrolands, whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating and disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah (Polesia) |Eshtorah]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands (Polesia)| The Freedlands]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire (Polesia) |Lattaneran Empire]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra (Polesia) |Xyra]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro (Polesia) |Asashiro]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo (Polesia) |Zhongguo]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla (Polesia) |Zumwalla ]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275945 2015-01-17T03:37:04Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Dead City of Ep */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Ep| Dead City of Ep (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city in the midst of the Necrolands, whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating and disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275944 2015-01-17T03:36:41Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Dead City of Ep */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Ep| Dead City of Ep (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city in the midst of the Necrolands, whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275943 2015-01-17T03:35:57Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Lands of Polesia */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Ep| Dead City of Ep (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275942 2015-01-17T03:35:28Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Lands of Polesia */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Ep| Dead City of Ep (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275941 2015-01-17T03:35:00Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Lands of Polesia */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Dead City of Ep====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Ep| Dead City of Ep (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> An ancient city whose builders are unknown, and whose geometry is strange and in some cases nauseating disorienting. Currently only inhabited by the restless dead as well as the legendary drow vampire, Rhone the Reaper, and (legend claims) the sacred remains of Saint Dioclese the Stern who keeps the monster in a deathlike sleep. <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275560 2015-01-12T02:50:31Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Orcs */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> ''Main artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> A secretive and mischievous fox people that live in the Kitsune-Mori in southern Asashiro.<br /> <br /> ===Ratfolk===<br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Ratfolk| Ratfolk in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> A scavanger people that live throughout Polesia as hunter/gatherers, traders, and spies. Ratfolk are looked down upon by most races but they often fit into civilized society better than other &quot;savage&quot; humanoids.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main Artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Vehnan===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Vehnan| Vehnan in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> A race of water dependent humanoids who are believed to be descended from the humans of the Lost Continent of Amnu. Capable of holding their breaths for nearly an hour and swimming at astonishing speeds, the vehnan rule the vast Gellian Archipelago that contains the remnants of their sunken homeland.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275558 2015-01-12T02:41:51Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1 */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened dwarf mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275557 2015-01-12T02:37:55Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* World Asunder */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and the mysterious assassin Tiberius. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=275556 2015-01-12T02:33:49Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* World Asunder */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> The firtst group will be part of the crusading armies of Avandor pushing south through the City States. Four officers of renown including the undercover angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]], a human(?) bard, a dragonborn sorcerer, and an augmented rougue<br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and a mysterious assassin. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the human (Eshtoran) wizard Marlamin Gallantra, the half-orc sorcerer Shamar, an aasimar quing-gong monk, and a (human?) arcanamach. This group will be undertaking missions for the Shining City and trying to frustrate both the Avandori and Lattaneran advances through the City States.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Vehnan&diff=275232 2015-01-06T23:02:03Z

<p>Godofmusic: Created page with &quot;The descendants of an ancient human bloodline that lived exclusively on the now drowned continent of Amnu, the vehnan have adapted surprisingly well to their new environment b...&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>The descendants of an ancient human bloodline that lived exclusively on the now drowned continent of Amnu, the vehnan have adapted surprisingly well to their new environment by becoming semi-aquatic. How this exactly happened is not widely known, and many scholars simply believe that they evolved naturally. However, this is not the case. <br /> <br /> Like Ghōl in the north Amu’s sinking was not because of a natural disaster, but rather the work of the aboleths. Suddenly stranded on thousands of small islands that had once been the tops of high mountains, the vehnan were almost completely at the mercy of the ocean. To avoid death some were able to flee north into modern Eshtora but many were not so fortunate and so had to make a deal with the devil. <br /> <br /> The aboleths quickened the vehnan evolutionary process, making them stronger swimmers and able to hold their breath for nearly an hour. Of course this came with a price. The vehnan are dependent on the sea, and can’t be dry for more than twelve hours or they suffer severe drying of the skin and eventually death. Also, though many of them don’t know this, the vehnan are more susceptible to aboleth influence. <br /> <br /> Despite this advantage the aboleths seemed to lose interest in the vehnan, and many today guess that everything that transpired was part of some large aboleth experiment to see what might happen if they flooded the earth and enslaved humanity. Whether or not they will utilize this army of sea bound humanoids to some other nefarious purpose is yet to be seen.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275231 2015-01-06T23:01:03Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Other Races */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> ''Main artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> A secretive and mischievous fox people that live in the Kitsune-Mori in southern Asashiro.<br /> <br /> ===Ratfolk===<br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Ratfolk| Ratfolk in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> A scavanger people that live throughout Polesia as hunter/gatherers, traders, and spies. Ratfolk are looked down upon by most races but they often fit into civilized society better than other &quot;savage&quot; humanoids.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main Artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Vehnan===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Vehnan| Vehnan in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> A race of water dependent humanoids who are believed to be descended from the humans of the Lost Continent of Amnu. Capable of holding their breaths for nearly an hour and swimming at astonishing speeds, the vehnan rule the vast Gellian Archipelago that contains the remnants of their sunken homeland.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275225 2015-01-06T22:27:22Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Kitsune */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> ''Main artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> A secretive and mischievous fox people that live in the Kitsune-Mori in southern Asashiro.<br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main Artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275224 2015-01-06T22:26:00Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Other Races */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> ''Main artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> A secretive and mischievous fox people that live in the Kitsunemori in southern Asashiro. <br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main Artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275223 2015-01-06T22:15:50Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> ''Main artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main Artical:'' [[Native Outsiders| Native Outsiders in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Races_of_Polesia&diff=275222 2015-01-06T21:54:11Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Polesia|Polesia]] is home to the following Playable races.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==The Common Races==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Humans===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The current dominant race across Polesia, humans have had many great empires over the thousands of years they’ve been around.<br /> <br /> ===Orcs===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Humans in Polesia|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> ===Elves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Polesian Elves|Humans in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Now living in a shadow of their former glory, the elves try to maintain a peaceful stance with their neighbors fearing all-out war that will likely mean their utter extinction.<br /> <br /> ===Dwarves===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> In the millennia since their empire receded, the dwarves have remained both stagnant and at the same time vibrant, never claiming more than a third of their land, but always pressing against their enemies and at times managing to retake and hold their lost territory for a time before again losing it again when their enemies amass anew. It is a source of great frustration to many dwarves who long for the glory days of the Kadazhem rule.<br /> <br /> ===Gnomes===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> While the gnomes have never had an empire in the conventional sense of elves, dwarves, and humans, they have rather started a great trade empire that spans the continents and extends right through borders. Some of the greatest gnome families wield a less obvious power, that is however no less tangible than that of the Emperor of Lattanis or the Amazhek of Radezhka, while lesser families have become indispensable go-betweens and merchants.<br /> <br /> ===Halflings===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Like gnomes, halflings have never had an empire in the conventional sense, though many tribes do claim vast territories in major cities or out in the countryside. Also like gnomes, halflings have found a somewhat secure place as go-betweens for the other civilized races. However, unlike gnomes halflings trade in information, not material goods. They are also natural political players, and have the sense and are not too proud to play from the background, therefore ensuring their survival as regimes inevitably change. In this regard halflings are excellent diplomats and many of their number are exceptional consulars and help negotiate on behalf of nations.<br /> <br /> ===Neanderthals===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals in <br /> <br /> Neanderthals are a strain of hominid who persevere in Polesia.<br /> <br /> ===Warforged===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Warforged are crafted living constructs.<br /> <br /> ===Dragonborn===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ==Other Races==<br /> <br /> ===Aasimar===<br /> <br /> Aasimar are humanoids with a smattering of celestial blood.<br /> <br /> ===Androids===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Android|Androids in Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Androids are mysterious sentient machines from another world.<br /> <br /> ===Angels===<br /> <br /> Similarly, Angels are mysterious celestial creatures from certain corners of the Ethereal Expanse.<br /> <br /> ===Elan===<br /> <br /> Élan are humans who have been charged with self-sustaining psionic energy.<br /> <br /> ===Kitsune===<br /> ''Main article:'' [[Kitsune in Polesia|Kitsune]] in Polesia.<br /> <br /> ===Tieflings===<br /> <br /> Tiefling are humanoids with a smattering of demonic blood.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=274876 2015-01-01T07:40:23Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Asashiro */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> This campaign is set to include [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)| Ryume Mirumoto]] the soulknife samurai, [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] the cleric of Kalaros, [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] the Paladin of Ramna, and [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] the assassin of the church of Ashthra in the first group.<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and a mysterious assassin. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]] will make an appearance in the third group, along with a qinggong monk, Shamar the half-orc sorcerer, and I believe some sort of rogue.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is a smaller continent to the Southeast. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Polesia&diff=274875 2015-01-01T07:38:56Z

<p>Godofmusic: /* Historical Timeline */</p> <hr /> <div>Polesia is a horror/dark fantasy-themed world setting used by the Idiots and Injuries Crew. It employs the Pathfinder RPG as its base framework and is modified by the Grim 'n Gritty combat rules, the House Rules Handbook's Spellpoint System, as well as a few well established house rules implemented by the Idiots and Injuries Crew.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Campaigns==<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Paradise City===<br /> Set in the provincial city of Lacaeta and following the adventures of local peace keepers [[Gruck (Polesia)| Gruck]] (a half-orc fighter), [[Clooney (Polesia)| Clooney]] (a nezumi psion), and [[Whisper (Polesia) | Whisper]] (an elfling rogue). The group solves various mysteries and battles ancient terrors in the back alleys of the city, culminating with a raid on an undead crypt in which Whisper is killed and an ancient demi-lich named Mel-Ketek is released. The whole city is blanketed in Ethereal Mists and beset by dark nightmares and horrific monsters. Navigating this labyrinth of horror the group performs a foul rite to Shub-Nigurath that resurrects Whisper. Clooney is lost somewhere in the chaos but the group is joined by a mysterious dhampir named [[Lecroix (Polesia) | Lecroix]] who aids them as they seek out Mel-Ketek and battle the monstrosity. Their victory is not without cost however and Gruck gives his life blood to sanctify the area and keep the demi-lich dead. Whisper becomes an inhuman herald for Shub-Nigurath, and Lecroix eventually becomes a full vampire. Happy endings to all!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Vault of Xyra Pt. 1===<br /> Beginning in the city of [[Xyra | Xyra]], this advanced-level campaign chronicled the adventures of the Paladin [[Anthony Cronqvist (Polesia)| Sir Anthony Cronqvist]], his companion, the mysterious Theurge [[Shinta (polesia)|Shinta]], a teacher of the Xyra Magi [[Jack Anchors (polesia) | Jack Anchors]], and the battle-hardened mercenary [[Brekhan | Brekhan HeBrekhan]].<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Dead Hills===<br /> In the city of Angor Sven an ancient fallen star seems to flare to life unleashing a tide of aberrant life on the countryside. The quest began with the heroes [[Obrey Zerkin (Polesia) | Obrey Zerkin]] of the Angor Sven Zerkins (an elf sorcerer), [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] (a dwarf cleric of Kalaros), and [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] (a human anarchist of Ramna). As they explore the mysteries of the countryside and try to find the source of the evil overwhelming the people they meet a mysterious woman from Asashiro named [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)|Ryume]] (an elan soulknife/elocater) as well as the unknown [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] (a city elf assassin of Ashtra). But just as they meet new allies, Obrey is ambushed and killed in the tunnels. The quest ended with the destruction of the star and the group vanishing mysteriously and reappearing on a deserted frozen mountainside.<br /> <br /> ===World Asunder===<br /> A three part campaign in which different factions try to make their way in Antanides during a Great War between Avandor and Lattanera.<br /> <br /> This campaign is set to include [[Ryume Mirumoto (polesia)| Ryume Mirumoto]] the soulknife samurai, [[Travor (Polesia) | Travor]] the cleric of Kalaros, [[Levitz (Polesia) | Levitz]] the Paladin of Ramna, and [[Grant Lorweaver (Polesia) | Grant Lorweaver]] the assassin of the church of Ashthra in the first group.<br /> <br /> <br /> The second group will include the fallen angel [[Ishtar (Polesia)| Ishtar]], [[Maximus Archus (Polesia)| Maximus Archus]] a disgraced cavalier, [[Vitae (Polesia)| Vitae]] (a dhampir cultist of [[The_Gods_of_Polesia|Xamen Dor]]), and a mysterious assassin. Hilarity ensues when they are forced to police the city of Lattanis and find their lack of moral character tested as they defend the city from crime, monsters, and conspiracy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, in the city of Xyra, the angel [[Zeta (Polesia)| Zeta]] will make an appearance in the third group, along with a qinggong monk, Shamar the half-orc sorcerer, and I believe some sort of rogue.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 1===<br /> <br /> A campaign of mythic proportions, taking place during the Great War between Lattanera and Avandor. Following the exploits of Borin the human Barbarian Champion, [[Mordechai (Polesia)|Mordechai]] the human ([[Belteshazzar (Polesia)|Belteshazzar]]) warrior Marshal, Decadus the aasimar oracle and hierophant, and a warforged paladin of the Rising Phoenix, as they face horrors and wonders beyond understanding, including the machinations of [[Haman (Polesia)|Haman]], a lunatic with aspirations of becoming a god.<br /> <br /> ===With Great Power Pt. 2===<br /> Details to come...<br /> <br /> ==Historical Timeline==<br /> <br /> <br /> '''The Time Before Time:''' The Great Convulsion causes a vast release of arcane and divine energy from which arose the Primal Chaos, personified by the first of the Outer Gods, Azathoth, the Progenitor of Entropy and Destruction. The whole of the Cosmos seethed under Its sway until there came the Song of the Spheres and Azathoth settled into a dreamlike state. As a result the Primal Chaos abated and from the settling energies there arose another Outer God, Yog-Sothoth, the Progenitor of Time and Dimension, and there was change to endless static existence. Planets and stars were formed and (due to the entropic energies continuously released by Azathoth even in his sleep) destroyed. As time began to slowly pass, more of the leftover divine energy began to coalesce and from this was born the third Outer God, Shub-Niggurath, the Progenitor of Life and Struggle, and from the flowing energy released from dying stars, great clouds of gas, and minerals of the planets came the first forms of life.<br /> <br /> '''-4,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a harsh volcanic world on which modern life could not survive. Then another planetoid, Certa, crashes into Polesia and the resulting collision knocks Polesia to its present orbit around the sun. The two worlds are partially shattered but reform after several eons as Polesia and Lunara (the world and the moon). Due to new elements introduced by Certa and a slightly further orbit from the sun, Polesia begins to cool. Liquid water begins to form on its surface, and oxygen begins to permeate the atmosphere.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000,000 CA:''' Polesia is a planet almost ready for life, but before Shub-Niggurath can seed it, something from the stars descend to explore this now blue planet. Creatures known remotely today only as the Elder Things start building colonies across Polesia, and begin experimenting on single celled organisms brought with them from their home world. From these they create the shoggoths and use these creatures as slaves. Despite employed control factors some of the single celled organisms escape and begin to adapt to the atmosphere and thrive on their own, becoming the forerunners of modern life. The shoggoths also evolve a primitive intelligence and in time rebel against their creators, soon bringing decimation on their colonies and stranding them on Polesia where they hide in scattered locations at the planet’s North Pole. <br /> <br /> '''-530,000,000 CA:''' Shub-Niggurath passes close to Polesia and spores from Its body descend through the atmosphere into the oceans. These simple forms of life begin competing with each other and the single celled organisms brought by the Elder Things, triggering a competitive evolution that leads to multicellular life in the form of arthropods, fish, and eventually amphibians. Few Shoggoths remain on Polesia and even fewer Elder Things, who go into stasis, leaving room for these new forms of life to expand uncontested through the oceans and onto land.<br /> <br /> '''-250,000,000 CA''': Amphibians and arthropods claim vast territories on land which at this time is mostly swampy forests of enormous ferns. In time insects and reptiles come into being and move ever further from the water creating life that does not depend on the sea. The continents drift together to form the Omniterra, through which spreads massive deserts unmatched from that time to this. <br /> <br /> '''-230,000,000 CA:''' A splinter group of reptiles begin developing the ability to manage their body temperature and start to grow hair, evolving to become the forerunners for future mammals, a few develop unique hipbones and can walk upright, becoming the first dinosaurs. The Elder Things are completely dormant and shoggoths roam only the remotest and most inhospitable parts of the world, leaving no intelligent life to guide the direction of these newly evolving marvels.<br /> <br /> '''-150,000,000 CA:''' The Omniterra begins to drift apart creating the first seas and ending the vast deserts, the first true mammals begin to evolve and dinosaurs begin to dominate the earth alongside great reptiles that live in the sky and the sea. <br /> <br /> '''-70,000,000 CA:''' For the first time plants achieve a simple intelligence and began to evolve into a sentient mobile race, forming primitive communities amongst the thriving jungles and even challenging the dinosaurs for supremacy. In time they evolved into a new and unique classification of creature that has not been seen on Polesia before or since. During the time the earth is visited yet again from the stars. Great Cthulhu and its children descend and build the Nightmare City of R’lyeh from there ruling the world and spreading great monstrosities into the oceans and even upon the continents. Some of the Elder Things awaken in response to this incursion but they are too few and too weak to stem the invasion, all but one single city is destroyed and that one returns to stasis. <br /> <br /> '''-69,600,000 CA:''' Strange extra-dimensional creatures, known today as ethergaunts, start to invade the material plane, using Polesia as one of many beachheads. After a titanic struggle Cthulhu and its children violently cast them back into the void, but the creatures are not fully defeated, they simply return to regroup and attack at a more opportune time.<br /> <br /> '''-68,000,000 CA:''' The stars shift ever so slightly, as the cosmic cycle ticks onward. Cthulhu and its star spawn, subject to this event, go into a hibernation-like state, preserved by powerful magic in the Nightmare City. They leave Polesia to the stewardship of their servants. The ulitharids are charged with the swampy coasts and lush jungles, and the aboleths with the oceans. Left to their own devices, both races begin a terrible war that lasts for centuries before being ended by a delicate truce. They take to the stars and establish colonies on other worlds, using slave armies of primitive off world humanoids to spread and invade countless worlds. In time they conquer most of the galaxy that had been dominated by the Great Old Ones. The only obstacles standing in their way at the time were the Great Race of Yith and the creatures known today only as the Mi-Go. These races formed a temporary alliance and halted illithid expansion and drove them back, yet even so a quarter of the galaxy stays under their dominion.<br /> <br /> '''-66,000,000 CA:''' The Great Race of Yith, facing annihilation as a comet collides with their world transfer their minds into the primitive plant creatures that evolve amidst Polesia’s jungles. The illithids and aboleths are disturbed by this event but move too slowly to counter it. Striking their enemies at the heart of their empire, the Yithians nearly crippled the illithid forces on Polesia and drove the aboleths from the land. However the illithids were undone not from this attack but rather from within their own forces, for their main slave stock, the Gith, took the opportunity to rise against their masters, sparking a revolution across their empire. Beleaguered from three sides the illithids on Polesia fell back again and again, until the yithians were the dominant species. What became of the off world colonies is unknown, though it is likely that pockets of illithid life still exist out amongst the stars.<br /> <br /> '''-65,000,000 CA:''' Another race descends upon Polesia from the stars. Known only as the flying polyps, these monstrous creatures fought both the illithids and the yithians for control and nearly annihilated both species until the yithians sealed them beneath the surface. It was merely a stalling tactic but it gave both the yithians and illithids enough time to escape the wrath of the polyps. By the time they emerged the Great Race had again migrated, this time far into Polesia’s future, and the illithids displaced their last city so that it was slightly out of sync with reality. The polyps spread quickly and became the lords of Polesia unopposed by any. However their reign is relatively short lived, when the asteroid containing the Obelisk crashes into the coast of what will become Shahar Khet, causing destruction for hundreds of miles and the death of countless plants and animals and killed off all but a few of the polyps who went underground. This event also killed off most of the creatures that the illithids or yithians did not place in stasis, dinosaurs for the most part went, as did most of the larger reptiles, leaving behind the mammals to take over.<br /> <br /> '''-46,000,000 CA:''' The ethergaunts send a scouting force to see if conditions for their invasion are more favorable. Fearing an all-out attack from these powerful foes the veiled masters and ulitharids unite in hopes of discouraging them. The scout force however simply withdraws before them, not even fighting to cover their hasty exit. The elder brains are concerned about what this might mean, but for the time being the aboleths return to the sea and the illithids to their city.<br /> <br /> '''-30,000,000 CA:''' Terror birds roam the vast grasslands and for a time they are the dominant predators while mammals continue to evolve and thrive in the vacuum left when the great reptiles went extinct. The first whales evolve from water dwelling mammals, birds evolve the ability to fly, and mammals on land start competing with the terror birds for dominance driving many varieties to extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-10,000,000 CA:''' Aboleth mages excavate the Obelisk from where it became entombed at the bottom of the ocean and start experimenting with its regenerative powers. It is with the aid of this powerful artifact that some of their creations (such as cloakers, intelligent deep ones, boggards, and darkmantels) came into existence. However the aboleths were able to modify their creatures using their mental abilities, so that they were subservient to them and not the Obelisk. There were a few isolated incidents where aboleths themselves became enthralled by the Obelisks power, but these rare cases were quickly dealt with and the corruption was kept in check. It is from long buried aboleth writings from which all current information on the Obelisk originates.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000,500 CA:''' A great tragedy (of which no records survive) occurs and the city in which the Obelisk is contained in disappears. While the aboleths seem to know the details, they will not speak of it to outsiders. The Obelisk for all intents and purposes appears to vanish.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000,000 CA:''' A few of the surviving reptiles continue to evolve, several varieties gaining intelligence and become the forerunners of the serpent people and dragons. New mammals continue to arise, including one group of tree dwellers with opposable thumbs, the first primates. Dragons tap deeply into the core of the world and are transfigured into living engines of arcane power unmatched by any mortal creature before or since. The serpent folk in turn develop magical disciplines, much of which was learned through study of the natural forces, some of which was gleaned in ancient basalt carvings left by the yithians, and even a few tablets that survived the drowning of R’lyeh. The two races balanced each other, for while dragons were far more powerful individually, the serpent folk were more numerous and far more disciplined, and while there were terrible wars fought between the two they more or less left each other to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,800 CA:''' Strange formless creatures known today only as arcanaplasms begin incursions into serpent-folk territory. For centuries the two races fight a bloody war that costs countless lives. Then just as unexpectedly as their arrival the arcanaplasms simply recede, attacking less often and on a smaller scale. The serpent-folk never discover their origins or where they seem to go, though some theorize that the creatures follow some unknown cycle or might have been driven up from the depths of the planet seeking more magic to feed on.<br /> <br /> '''-2,000,000 CA:''' For the first time rudimentary sentience begins to form in mammals, fascinating the serpent folk who dissect many to see if this budding species might have potential to be a slave race. The world begins to cool and dragons start to hibernate, many of them not awakening for eons. Across the world mammals begin to cement their hold as the dominant animal class on Polesia, especially the hominid species which began to show rapid development to the astonishment of the serpent folk whose own evolution took nearly ten times as long. It was later theorized that this rapid evolution was a result of the serpent people’s experiments and interference. Despite this fact the serpent folk did little more than continue their studies, not seeing these species as anything that could threaten them as their civilization had reached its peak. For the next million years, they were correct in this assumption.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500,000 CA:''' A serpent folk expedition uncovers the Obelisk, buried in the southern mountain range that will become the modern day Kalladian Islands off the coast of Shahar Khet. Like the aboleths they seek to use the power of the Obelisk and manage to repel its influence for a time. From it they learn much about the genetic structure of all living creatures. However unlike the aboleths their resistance to the Obelisk's call is short lived and within a century it manages to spark dissent amongst them. Ksshethesh, the city in which it is contained, is almost completely destroyed and its inhabitants are turned into necromorphs. The serpent folk nations raise Ksshethesh to the ground and their priests manage to counter the Obelisk's awesome power, quieting it for a time while they displace it back into the ocean.<br /> <br /> '''-1,000,000 CA:''' The upright walking apes, now dubbed homo primus by modern historians or Dawn People, begin to develop communal bonds very similar to that of the serpent folk and many wild specimens without training or prompting from their saurian betters evolve primitive societies. Some of them were influenced by escaped specimens that interbred and jacked up their development several notches, introducing rudimentary art, language, and eventually spiritual awareness that sparked a competing civilization seemingly overnight in comparison to their predecessors. The serpent folk began to grow concerned seeing that these inferior apes were growing out of their control and some groups began eradication programs to stem their spread across Polesia (accept in the far north where the climate was fatal, leaving homo primus there undisturbed, though the very climate and predators there would test them in other ways). However, this eventually backfired and started pressuring the hominids to evolve all the faster and different species began to flourish. <br /> <br /> '''-300,000 CA:''' Polesia’s climate continues to cool driving the serpent folk to migrate south, butting them right up against the hominid claimed territories. This sparked the first true conflict between the two species, one that went disastrously for the serpent folk. Homo primus adapted to the various environments they found themselves in. Also many wielded knowledge stolen from their former masters, and they outnumbered the serpent folk many times over. While their losses were catastrophic the species easily shirked such a blow and continued to multiply to the astonishment of the serpent folk. <br /> <br /> '''-200,500 CA:''' The final stroke is dealt to the serpent folk as a species. The Dawn People begin showing further signs of development and civilization when they begin encountering each other and forging alliances that will linger for millennia to come. At this moment the various tribes are linked by the mutual threat, primitive as they are, and the serpent folk begin to fall more and more frequently than not. The climate also turns against the serpent folk and finally their species as a whole is broken, leaving few survivors who flee far from these hairless apes leaving them to develop without further interference.<br /> <br /> '''-155,100 CA:''' The bonds between the Dawn People are lessened without a common threat to unite them and there is infighting amongst them driving them apart. Some of the Dawn People went into the then lush forests to the south and interbred with the feral homo erectus creating a new hybrid race known to scholars as homo sylvanus (these were the earliest forebears to [[Polesian Elves|elves]]), another group went to the mountains and after years of interbreeding became homo terra (the earliest form of modern dwarves). Yet another group went south and became homo sapiens([[Humans in Polesia|humans]]), and the Dawn People of the north developed into [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]. <br /> <br /> '''-75,000 CA:''' Homo sapiens spread out the most going as far south as modern day Asashiro and far into the north where they encounter Neanderthals and either interbreed with or displace them. During this time homo sylvanus arguably does the best, and create the first recognizable kingdoms bending great forests to their will and learn to call on the gods themselves for power.<br /> <br /> '''-40,000 CA:''' Neanderthals not interbred with homo sapiens have been displaced to the most inhospitable parts of the world and as a result have been pushed to the edge of survival, forsaking much of their gained brainpower for physical power. This leads to a division amongst the variety which becomes the first forerunners to [[Orcs in Polesia|orcs]], goblinoids, ogres and lesser giants (later interaction with developing homo sylvanus will bring trolls into being).<br /> <br /> '''-13,000 CA:''' Elven civilization reaches its peak and they rule most of the known world, other races living in their territories are vassals or slaves. The elves mingle with otherworldly creatures called Sidhe that migrated from the dreamlands. A splinter group that later became the drow rebelled against the ruling families and were quickly banished to the deepest reaches of the world. At this time other fey creatures also migrated from the dreamlands and created the first sacred groves and awoke many new species of sentient plants most of which allied with the elves. Yet the success of the elven people carries with it the seeds of their decline, for after unlocking the secrets of longevity from their Sidhe allies they become less prolific and the other races begin to outnumber them.<br /> <br /> '''-11,000 CA:''' Polesia’s ice age is over. Many of mega fauna species have died out, with a few remnants living in isolated pockets around the world. Humans, elves, and dwarves are recognizable to their modern counterparts and from diverse interbreeding and selective evolution [[Gnomes in Polesia|gnomes]] and [[Halflings in Polesia|halflings]] have also developed. The savage races have also reached their modern equivalency and have changed little from that time to this. Serpent people still dwell in isolated communities, many have evolved into lizard folk and various other sentient reptilian races known today, but their ancient glory is only a legend and most dwell in squalor and barbarism. <br /> <br /> '''-10,000 CA:''' For the first time humans found their own empire, far off the coast of the elven nations, on a great island they called Ghōl. Their Island was situated in a tropical gulf near modern day Thereus. In several centuries the lone city became a sprawling island empire which advanced rapidly due to the abundance of resources and their diplomatic relations with the nearby elves, who viewed them as inconsequential so long as they kept their ambitions to the islands. The Avaladh (as the natives of Ghōl were called) abided by their end of the treaty and left the elves to their own affairs and the two expand as rival empires nominally at peace.<br /> <br /> '''-9,300 CA:''' The humans of Ghōl start to develop their own schools of magic, gradually leaving the archaic elven practices they had mimicked for centuries. The greatest of these practitioners quickly consolidate power and become the first sorcerer kings of Ghōl.<br /> <br /> '''-9,000 CA:''' Belteshazar (the keeper of Secrets) is supplanted by Kakrimi (the Maker of Brilliance) who allows his rival’s kinsmen to live to secure his place in his people’s hearts as a merciful king. However, this mercy is not shown to Belteshazar himself, who his cut into four pieces and sacrificed to the earth, the sea, the sun, and the moon.<br /> <br /> '''-8,700 CA:''' One of the ancient serpent folk priests, Vesshelkhal, awakens from a deep hibernation and rallies his race’s degenerate offspring to take back Polesia from these upstart races that had taken advantage of the previous ice age. Wielding forgotten magic from the time that elves and men hid in forests and caves, Vesshelkhal led a triumphant campaign through several elven nations, causing panic to spread throughout the civilized world. The elves pleaded with the Avaladh for assistance and the Island Empire was drawn into the war.<br /> <br /> '''-8,600 CA:''' After their initial push, the newly invigorated serpent-folk pause and consolidate power along the tropical coastline and the islands within a certain vicinity, nearly separating the elves from their human allies on Ghōl but also forcing them to wage a war on two fronts. Neither side advances for decades, sparking a chain of elven insurrections, Avaladh blockades, and serpent-folk crusades. The human and elven leaders send overtures of peace to the serpent-folk and their descendants, but Vesshelkhal refuses them. With casualties becoming greater than they can bear the Avaladh start turning to more destructive magic, hoping to bring down their foes before it’s too late for their civilization to recover. They abandoned the elven druidic traditions and adopted newer ecclesiastical ethos that more closely resemble that of modern Lattaneran clerics. These new practices accompany a dark turn in the history of the Avaladh, as they turn to sinister masters from beneath the sea, the aboleths.<br /> <br /> '''-8,500 CA:''' Ghōl, along with its aboleth allies, secures its borders against the serpent-folk incursions. The humans learn from their inhuman mentors deeper and darker secrets of magic that slowly change their very way of life. All but a few outlying colonies largely abandon the elves, the kings of Ghōl only sending token forces of disposable criminal elements within the Avaladh military. One such group is composed of anti-aboleth dissenters who recognized the corruptive influence that their alliance is having on their once-beloved empire. While exiled to the front lines, the mythic hero Kammen Thal-Ortho leads his band of underlings on glorious adventures and finally confronts and slays Vesshelkhal, ending serpent-folk tyranny once again. Within a decade he returns home at the head of what is now called the Dissident Army, along with many elven allies and lays siege to Ghōl, intent on wresting control from the now decadent nobles and their aboleth masters. The aboleths are not willing to engage the combined might of the Dissidents and the elves and retreat to the deeper oceans to consider how best to deal with this new turn of events. The king of Ghōl and his elites were not willing to cede their empire however, and when it became apparent that they could not win the war they decided it was better for all of Ghōl to die than fall into the hands of the Dissidents. To that end they called on the aboleths to help them one last time, and considering the nature of their requests the aboleths consented. As the Dissident Army marched triumphantly across the royal roadways of Ghōl the noble sorcerers and the aboleths sparked a massive ritual that swallowed Ghōl and many of the neighboring islands into the ocean drowning most of them and the Dissidents with them. The aboleths took advantage of the drowning Avaladh’s desperation and in return for their eternal servitude turned them into various aquatic races, the bulk of which still serve the aboleths to this day alongside the deep ones. <br /> <br /> '''-7,800 CA:''' Humans establish another empire, this time they are dissidents and outlaws in the desert bordering the elven lands, called Shahar Khet. The growth of this nation is astounding, beyond anything the hominids have done before, within several centuries they displayed rapid advancement in architecture and arcanaology, erecting enormous monuments and pyramids to honor themselves and their sorcerer kings. This rapid rise is partly due to stolen knowledge from the elves and the Avaladh, but there is an even more sinister secret to their success. Delving into lore that the elves were wise enough to pass over, the sorcerer kings make the first metaphorical deal with the devil and start treating with the Great Old Ones. While this sparks their rapid development it also plunges the nation into sociological decadence as they gorge on unearned knowledge. <br /> <br /> '''-7,000 CA:''' Sorcerers from Shahar Khet stumble on the Obelisk while raiding a long abandoned aboleth stronghold. The kings of Shahar Khet are convinced that this monolithic structure holds the secrets to immortality, little knowing that the Obelisk is (for the first time) influencing their weaker human minds. While they manage to prevent all out corruption, Shahar Khet does not do as well with the Obelisk as the aboleths or the serpentfolk, only managing to coax the secrets of lichdom from it after they manage to reverse its corrupt energies. This event destroys an entire city in a wave of negative energy turning all its inhabitants into ghouls and resurrecting Domhu Stross as one of Polesia’s first liches. Domhu Stross was responsible for making the first translations of the ancient aboleth texts relating to the Obelisk. After the destruction of the city the Obelisk was considered too dangerous and with the advancement of necromancy inconsequential. It was taken far away and buried in the foothills of the modern Kaladian Mountains, at the time a wild and unknown land. This causes a great civil war in Shahar Khet as Obelisk worshipers, called Disciples of the Fallen Star, try to “liberate” the Obelisk . Most are slain.<br /> <br /> '''-6,600 CA:''' The first human cults of Cthulhu are formed and in time the last king of Shahar Khet, Pharizon XII contacts the extraplanar being Nyarlathotep who teaches him the secrets of Chaos Magic.<br /> <br /> -6,300 CA: The people of Shahar Khet have a few glorious centuries during which they nearly decimate the nearby elven nations, breaking the race’s hold over Polesia in such a manner that even to this day the elves have not recovered fully. However in the Chaos Magic wielded by Pharizon begins to have noticeable and devastating effects across the empire. The king himself lost his ability to retain a fixed form and became the first chaos beast, and from him the affliction quickly spread as did other blights from his Chaos Magic, little more than a decade after these things began, Shahar Khet was no more than dust in the wind and crumbling necropolises, in which some the first human undead were the only inhabitants. One lich, named Mel-Ketekk leaves the devastation and travels the world finally ending up in what will be modern Lacaeta.<br /> <br /> '''-6,250 CA:''' Humans that crossed ancient land bridges into Asashiro are visited by strange beings from the sky. These grey, tall, and inhuman creatures call themselves Kami and teach them how to farm, control the seasonal flooding, and the Celestial Teachings, a philosophy that first introduces chi. Around this time a huge portal opens in the middle of the Shrouded Mountains into Leng (a shadowy plane of madness and demonic creatures). In response the kami help the people to build enormous gates to wall off the disturbance. Seven Kami also “marry” seven women and from them come the seven clans that now make up the majority of the Okubo people. After a century of this the Blood of the Kami is spread throughout Asashiro and psionically gifted children start to become common. When this is accomplished the Kami ascend into heaven and are not seen again for millennia.<br /> <br /> '''-6,000 CA:''' Other human civilizations rise in Antanides to replace the lost glories of Shahar Khet and Ghōl but none will compare for millennia to come. The dwarven Patriarch Kadazh the Great begins to unite the neighboring zarokhs of the modern Kalladian Mts. and builds the Underway. The modern races continue to trade or fight and civilizations rise and fall at rapid rates in comparison to those of non-hominids. Orcs and other savage humanoids breed like flies in the hostile northlands and humans continue an inevitable spread above ground while elves manage to hold some territory in the forests and dwarves spread below ground. Widespread myths and religions still around today are formed for the first time and many of the ancient secrets from previous non-hominid races are largely forgotten or diluted through the mists of time and replaced by these developing mythologies.<br /> <br /> '''-3,000 CA:''' Humans create their third major empire, now based in martial power more than forgotten magic. This Pallishar Empire covered a good portion of modern Eshtora and while it was not nearly the largest it was probably one of the richest empires in human history. Dwarves expand the Kadazhem Empire belowground which now covers twice the distance of the Pallishar and the two nations frequently trade and squabble over territory. Gnomes and halflings go a different route, rather than building their own empires they move freely between the Pallishar and Kadazhem empires and the elven holdings and are frequently used as adjutant diplomats and go-betweens. Elves largely stay as they are and maintain their borders, trading with the two empires and maintain peace over a war that would likely mean their extinction.<br /> <br /> '''-2,250 CA:''' An expedition from the Kadazhem Empire make their way north and encounter the Obelisk. Horrified by what they witness they seal all tunnels connected site, but this only safeguards the horrors from going below, not above.<br /> <br /> '''-1,750 CA:''' The Pallishar Empire falls to the rapidly expanding Thesian Empire that in less than a century occupies three times their predecessors’ holdings. The Kadazhem Empire endures as it has for over a thousand years, though they cede some their territory to the Thesians creating a feud between the two that is not resolved for several centuries. Humans are almost uncontested in their dominance and rapidly approach what many think of as the golden age. In Asashiro the “Kami” return and teach certain smiths the secrets of forging steel and adamantine for the first time, which they use to create some of the greatest swords in the world.<br /> <br /> '''-1,500 CA:''' The Thesian Empire falls due to centaur incursions from the north, lack of strong succession, and its rapid inflation. Their empire shrinks almost as quickly as it grew and soon the Thesians control little more than half their home peninsula and the surrounding islands. <br /> <br /> '''-1,200 CA:''' The Kadazhem Empire also begins to decline as the dwarves are beset by dark denizens from further below. Drow and other horrors begin emerging from the depths, disturbed by the dwarves’ expansion, and much of the dwarves’ holdings are lost. Like the Avaladh before them the dwarves are infiltrated by another ancient power (this time by the mind flayers). These manipulations lead to a horrible civil war that cuts the Empire down to a third of its former size and many dwarves are taken into the deeper tunnels fated to become the duergar after centuries of slavery and psychic oppression. The empire is finally fractured and the dwarven people are divided into lesser states that are only shadows of their former glory. <br /> <br /> '''-1,050 CA''' General Shinji Takaken spreads his rule across Asashiro and quickly subjugate the smaller continent. The secret steel is used to subdue those that stand in the way of the new emperor and soon the technique of its forging is spread across the land.<br /> <br /> '''-800 CA:''' A group of druids battle the immense power of Mel-Ketekk. The ancient undead seems invincible as his power covers the land and causes his twisted dreams and the nightmares of others to manifest. Finally the druids call an avatar of Shub-Niggurath in desperation. Even then Mel-Ketekk is only weakened and set to slumber as a demi-lich. The druids as a cost of their summoning are all frozen into immense crystals and set to guard great arcane seals to bind the spirit of Mel-Ketekk. A small group of druids and wizards are left to ward the shrine of Mel-Ketekk.<br /> <br /> '''-700 CA:''' The former shepherds of Lattanera form their first kingdoms and city states that compete for dominance in the region, creating a nation of warrior kings the likes of which have not been seen before or matched since. The fabled city Lattanis is formed and from there the legendary King Remelius begins uniting the warring states that will form the cornerstone for the Lattaneran Empire.<br /> <br /> '''-600 CA:''' In Asashiro the Elan secret council is founded when certain monks and psions discover a way to awaken the power within their blood and become effectively immortal. They build the Library City of Aoka and from there spread across Polesia founding chapter houses and creating more Elans to help chronicle the histories of the world.<br /> <br /> '''-509 CA:''' After a long line of tyrants, the Lattaneran King Vileus Septimius is murdered and the Kingdom is reorganized into a Republic to nominally give power to the people. <br /> <br /> '''-500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Republic slowly but surely swallows the surrounding lands, wisely leaving them to their own devices and allowing them to keep their culture and beliefs if they will kneel freely to the Republic’s rule. Many nations gladly accept the terms and Lattanera’s conquests are bloodless more often than not. Even the dwarves and the elves fall under the Republic’s sway becoming great provinces, and the early Consuls wisely treat the rulers with great respect raising them to new positions that are almost equal to that of Senators or Governors.<br /> <br /> '''-350 CA:''' Descendants of the surviving Fallen Star Disciples, locate the Obelisk after searching for thousands of years. Led by the lich lord, Enkiris, this group has come to believe that the Obelisk will help them transcend death in a process called “apotheosis.” Enkiris especially desires this because his current state disgusts him, as do the undead in general. Before they can fully unearth the Obelisk however a Lattaneran Procurator of Justice (or Justicar, aka paladin) named Lukien Val-Terris leads a group of heroes to slay most of the cult and disperse the rest. Before they do this, however, Enkiris tries in desperation to trigger the fabled apotheosis event. With so few cultists remaining their effort is for the most part a failure. Instead the corrupt positive Obelisk energies transform him and many of the cultists into an immense aberration, later called the Guardian. Val-Terris and his followers manage to seal the thing in with the Obelisk and systematically purge the surrounding countryside of its abominations. The land is considered cursed and no one is allowed to settle within a hundred miles. They are large successful but many of the cultists and workers escape and from them the Disciples of the Fallen Star are reincarnated as the Brotherhood of Unity.<br /> <br /> '''-300 CA:''' The last of the Lacaetan Custodians has met death, but not all of them are truly dead. Certain wizards and druids choose to sacrifice their humanity rather than leave their now underground shrine unguarded and use their proximity to Mel-Ketekk to spark their own ascendance to lichdom and maintain their secret vigil for centuries to come. These undead powers form the Cult of the Masked God, and teach their followers the magical secrets of lost Shahar Khet. <br /> <br /> '''-285 CA:''' The Takaken Dynasty is torn apart as weaker emperors fail to restrain the power of their warlords. The country, now divided against itself enters a perpetual war that is not resolved for nearly three centuries and is called the Three Hundred Years of Blood.<br /> <br /> '''-51 CA:''' The Lattaneran General Solenus Remelius leads a great expedition north of the Armurian Mountains, reaching as far as Lacaeta, either conquering the inhabitants or bringing them in as client states. His popularity with the people soars.<br /> <br /> '''-46 CA:''' Solenus Septemius returns from his conquests in the north and is heralded as Imperator for life.<br /> <br /> '''0 CA:''' The Common Age begins and it is the height of Lattaneran power. Most of Antanides is under the dominion of Lattanis and her Emperors, save for random tribes of savage humanoids or remote elves and dwarves. A peace that continues more or less to this day is forged and the mortal races stand in unison, coming far from their humble origins. In Asashiro, order is restored when the “Kami” return from heaven and establish a new dynasty ruled by Fukukata Kasejin and end the perpetual warfare.<br /> <br /> '''98 CA:''' Estrano Fiarrius creates the first living construct and perfects his heretical arts that will later give rise to the [[Warforged in Polesia|warforged]] race. Multiple powers buy them by the hundreds and as a result many provinces in the Empire are affected by unofficial wars and squabbles. To protect his methods secret, Estrano takes his money and, allying with hundreds of other wizards, founds the city of [[xyra (polesia)| Xyra]] as a haven for the arcane arts, beyond the reach of kings and priests.<br /> <br /> '''136 CA:''' The matter of the warforged comes to the attention of Emperor Galus Remelius who declares a ban on their production and Estrano disappears. All warforged armies are disbanded and they are left to their own devices.<br /> <br /> '''150 CA:''' The ancient lich Mel-Ketekk is roused in Lacaeta and the whole city is shrouded in his dark nightmarish power. Four heroes (Gruck, Lecroix, Clooney, and Whisper) confront the evil, summoning the Outer God Shub-Niggurath who instructs them on what they must do to destroy the demi-lich. Whisper’s soul is sold to the Mother in return for resurrection and after the destruction of Mel-Ketekk is transformed into Shub-Niggurath’s Herald. Gruck heroically sacrifices himself to sanctify the area, causing him to be elevated to sainthood upon his death. Lecroix finally decides to become a full vampire, feeling that his last ties with humanity died with his mother and friends.<br /> <br /> '''500 CA:''' The Lattaneran Empire is largely divided between the north and south. The southeast is the domain of the Emperor, and the northwest is ruled in his name by the Arch Consul. The two are at peace but the north is beginning to decline and is largely unable to control the outlying territories, resulting in the rise of orc tribes that pillage the borders of the Empire. In time a large horde sacks Avandor, and the north crumbles leaving only the south and cutting the Empire effectively in half. <br /> <br /> '''800 CA:''' Dragons begin to reemerge from their eons long sleep and send the fractured remnants of the Northern Empire into turmoil. The Southern Empire (now called the True Empire) manages to repel those that attack and treats with those that are diplomatic. In Asashiro the Kami return yet again and help the people transition from the Kasejin dynasty to the Murobashi dynasty.<br /> <br /> '''862 CA:''' With no one enforcing the ban on the land near the Obelisk, Angor Sven is founded by the Sullivan Family, who at the time are part of the Brotherhood of Unity and looking for the Obelisk.<br /> <br /> '''884 CA:''' The [[Dragonborn in Polesia|dragonborn]] first emerge on Skaallvatar and establish themselves as a separate nation ruled by several ancient dragons.<br /> <br /> '''892 CA:''' Out of the ashes of the Northern Empire rises the kingdom of Avandor, ruled by the descendants of the barbaric human and orc warlords that took power from the weaker Lattaneran nobles. They give thanks to Erabis for helping them to regain the civilization lost for so many years and he becomes the chief god of that region.<br /> <br /> '''1000 CA:''' The Cult of the White Fox spreads to Antanides.<br /> <br /> '''1017-1019 CA:''' Avandor tries to expand its influence south of the Eastbight Mountains, targeting Lacaeta first. The city, long having been independent resists fiercely and sends for aid from its allied cities and even Lattanera. The emperor has no wish to have the young and obviously hungry Avandor as its neighbor and sends troops to cow Avandor into submission. Correctly surmising that they smiply don't have the might to battle both the Empire and the City States Avandor wisely backs off and searches for easier conquests.<br /> <br /> '''1020 CA:''' The events that took place nearly 1400 years ago near Angor Sven are largely forgotten, and the records of the Obelisk’s location have been suppressed, destroyed, or lost. Helping this process along are a group of justicars founded in memory of Lukien Val-Terris who stopped the Obelisk uprising over a thousand years before and had a hand in what has become known to the Brotherhood as the Altmus Incident. While these agents have little understanding of the Obelisk's power and no longer know where exactly it is located, they have busied themselves trying to thwart the Brotherhood of Unity, periodically sending agents to Angor Sven to spy and assassinate certain individuals. The people of Angor Sven are largely unaware of the sinister history near their town, though a few older families are adherents to the Brotherhood’s teachings and they suspect that the Obelisk is nearby.<br /> <br /> '''1042-1045 CA:''' Avandor launches its first earnest conquest of the western Freedlands. They manage to secure a great deal of territory and nearly double the size of what they have come to call the Holy Erabisain Empire, however the cost of the war is staggering, losing them much manpower and a lot of money. It does however train a new generation of warriors and commanders, making their army an impressive spectacle.<br /> <br /> '''1050 CA:''' The Obelisk spontaneously awakens and the sorcerer, Obrey Zerkin and his allies (Travor the dwarf cleric, and Levitz the human anarchist) help fight the threat as best as they are able. Along the way they find a ship from the stars in which they meet an Elan soulknife named Ryume from Asashiro. While battling their way through the ship they finally come across its masters, two androids in stasis who have been waiting for just such a time to try and destroy the Obelisk for good. With some help from the [[Android|androids]] the group embarks below ground and meet an Ashtran assassin named Grant Loreweaver. However, Obrey dies in the tunnels and it is up to his friends to save the town. They succeed but vanish afterward, none know where. Around this time, in the city of Xyra, a strange halo of clouds forms about the sun and the city is thrown into chaos as they are beset from extraplanar monsters and the archmage commits suicide. In response one of the councilors, Thoster Viclannen calls on his old friend, [[Brekhan|Brekhan HéBrekhan]] a notable dwarven mercenary and outcast, to investigate the matter and also enlists the aid of Sir Anthony Cronqvist, a human paladin of the Rising Phoenix; Jack, a Zhonggese magus; and Shinta, a [[Kitsune in Polesia|kitsune]] mystic. The four discover that there is something strange going on in Xyra’s mystical vault and manage to journey inside. Within they find numerous horrors as well as the apprentice Williver who's gone quite mad. They defeat him as well as some of the vault’s more dangerous denizens and manage to get a good amount of loot in the process, but at the expense of Shinta’s life. Now in possession of the Staff of the Archmage and a copy of the Seven Tiered Celestial Calculations they return with Thoster to their hideout. However at that moment they are beset by an illithid paragon who memorizes the Celestial calculations and kills Thoster. Shinta is brought back to life via an idle wish by Jack and is now a deathless creature. The group retreats to the school buries Thoster and then pursues the illithid. Their pursuit takes them to Shahar-khet.<br /> <br /> '''1055 CA:''' The disaster at Godsmeet. Ashtrans of the Midwife and Reaper Sects are at the throats of the Erabisian priests who declare that Erabis the lord of civilization is greater than Ashtra (held by many to be the Mother of Fate). The Judge Sect of the Ashtran faith agrees with the Erabisian belief and for the first time the three Sects are divided. The issue quickly escalates out of hand and several Erabisian priests are murdered in their quarters, the Inifinte Symbol of Ashtra carved into their foreheads. The Midwife and Reaper sects indignantly deny any involvement, blaming wayward Death Angels (Ashtran Assassins) for the crime. The Godsmeet disperses and news of the travesty reaches all corners of civilized Antanides. A few weeks later, Temecleus Valadrian (the half-orc ruler or Avandor) declares that Avandor will not stand for the atrocity and all but the Judge Sect of Ashtra's church are expelled from Avandor's borders. Emperor Felix Verenus Remelius responds to this by condemning the faith of Erabis for daring to declare themselves above the Mother of Fate and executes any priests in the Empire that do not submit to the supremacy of Ashtra. Avandor uses this crisis as a springboard for a holy crusade to expand their empire and bring the light of Erabis back to the south.<br /> <br /> == Lands of Polesia ==<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Antanides===<br /> <br /> The largest continent in Polesia located in the north. Currently the home of many nations, faiths, and wondrous places, Antanides also has a long and rich history going back to the very first recorded elven, dwarven, and human empires. The following places are located in Antanides:<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Avandor Dominion====<br /> <br /> &quot;Main article:&quot; [[Avandor Dominion| Avandor Dominion (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A wonderful land of oportunity and prosperity, that is if you're an orc or half orc and a devout follower of Erabis.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Eshtorah====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Eshtorah |Eshtorah (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Eshtorah is a country in south-eastern Antonides that is rich in culture and history dating back to when they held the southern quarter of the continent as part of their great empire.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Freedlands, The====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Freedlands| The Freedlands (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A land of barbarian tribes and petty fiefdoms or occasionally independent cities.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Ghōl, Lost Island of====<br /> <br /> Once the seat of the ancient Avaladh Empire, Ghōl is now at the bottom of the ocean.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Iboria====<br /> <br /> A frozen wasteland full of primeval beasts, hags, drakes, orcs, neanderthals, and some of the most fearsome humans imaginable.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Lattaneran Empire====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Lattaneran Empire |Lattaneran Empire (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Lattaneran Empire is an empire to the West on the main continent of Polesia.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Marabi====<br /> <br /> A desert country slightly northeast of the Desolation of Shahar-Khet.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Necrolands====<br /> <br /> A blighted wasteland where the dead walk and demons sometimes appear. Also the final resting place of Saint Dioclese the Stern and the ancient dread vampire Rhone Tavier.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Shahar-Khet, Ruins of====<br /> <br /> The Ruins of Shahar-Khet are the remains of an ancient civilization of humans. The ruins are notable for their strong auras of chaos magic.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Skaalvatar====<br /> <br /> The home of the dragonborn and their draconic liege lords.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Xyra, Grand City of====<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Xyra |Xyra (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> A city fulla wizards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Asashiro===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Asashiro |Asashiro (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Asashiro is the Southernmost continent. It is ruled by the aristocratic warrior class of the illustrious [[The Okubo Empire (Polesia)|Okubo Empire]].<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Kmet-Tha===<br /> <br /> Don't go there.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zhongguo===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zhongguo |Zhongguo (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Just West of Asashiro, Zhongguo is a large island where stuff happens. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===Zumwalla===<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Zumwalla |Zumwalla (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> Zumwalla is an ancient and wondrous continent somewhat to the south of Antanides and Asashiro. It is believed that humanoids might have originated from this lush and wild environment.<br /> <br /> <br /> ====Kuri Archipelago====<br /> <br /> There are cannibals here.<br /> <br /> ==Races of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[Races of Polesia|Races of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> Polesia is home to the following playable races.<br /> <br /> [[Dragonborn in Polesia|Dragonborn]]<br /> <br /> [[Dwarves in Polesia|Dwarves]] and Half-Dwarves<br /> <br /> [[Polesian Elves|Elves]] and Half-Elves<br /> <br /> [[Orcs in Polesia|Orcs]], Half-Orcs, and Dwargs<br /> <br /> [[Gnomes in Polesia|Gnomes]] and Dwarrow<br /> <br /> [[Halflings in Polesia|Halflings]] and Elflings<br /> <br /> [[Humans in Polesia|Humans]]<br /> <br /> [[Neanderthals in Polesia|Neanderthals]]<br /> <br /> [[Warforged in Polesia|Warforged]]<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Gods of Polesia==<br /> <br /> ''Main article:'' [[The Gods of Polesia|List of the Gods of Polesia]]<br /> <br /> The gods in Polesia are not as direct as are those of other campaign settings, and generally when you attract the attention of a god (or rather what people worship as a god) it is usually a bad thing indeed.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Special Groups, Guilds, and Affiliations==<br /> <br /> ===The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix is a special order of Paladins and like-minded individuals sworn to root out corruption. <br /> <br /> <br /> ===The Élan Collective===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[Elan Collective (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> The Élan Collective is a secret conspiracy of psionically-charged humanoids with mysterious interests and deep-reaching fingers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===West End Unified Trade and Import Guild===<br /> <br /> ''Main Article:'' [[West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (Polesia)]]<br /> <br /> One of the most powerful mercantile guilds in Antanides, the West End Unified Trading and Import Guild (or West Enders as they're commonly known) is run and almost exclusively operated by powerful gnome families.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Orcs_in_Polesia&diff=274873 2015-01-01T05:33:50Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>When humans first invaded the lands claimed by the Neanderthal tribes in the north, many of the Neanderthals fled before the aggressive interlopers into the most inhospitable lands imaginable where the sun hardly ever shone and there was little food aside from what could be hunted and killed. In this dark, frozen, hell the Neanderthals adapted and eventually began to thrive in various ways. Some became particularly clever and sneaky, using the race’s longstanding tradition of ambush and trapping to survive against foes many times their size, eventually becoming the first goblins. Others simply started getting bigger and stronger, hunting great beasts or their smaller kin for food, becoming the first giants and ogres. But one strain in particular thrived particularly well by learning lessons from the humans that had displaced them.<br /> Staying just out of range of the territories that the humans were willing to walk, these Neanderthals stole secrets from their rivals in swift vicious raids for which they would be remembered for thousands of years. In time these would become the orcs.<br /> <br /> Since time immemorial orcs have been at odds with other races, their time evolving in the dark Frostlands left little room for them to grow in art in culture, with every day being a struggle for the tribes survival making survival of the fittest the rule of law. Orcs have had to do monstrous things in order to live, including cannibalism and murder. This has given them a dark reputation in the world and many look on them as mindless monsters. For some this is true, but the orcs are no more predisposed to evil than any other humanoid and there are many that actually do some good.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless the orc are a warlike people, shaped through thousands of years of hardship and oppression. For most of this time they were confined to the north until finally their massively growing population spilled south through Iborea and into modern day Avandor and the Freedlands. There they claimed huge swaths of territory and tried to enslave the humans that lived there. However, the orcs seem to do poorly in peaceful conditions and it wasn’t long before these new nation states fell in upon themselves as anarchy ensued. The humans took advantage of this and drove the orcs out of their lands spreading their kind across Antanides so that now orcs can be found almost anywhere that humans can. <br /> <br /> Lately they have had a greater presence in Avandor where they served as mercenary protectors and were eventually granted some lands of their own, as well as the daughters of nobles. They have even come so far as to have a half orc named Bal-Votauk by his people, and known properly as Temecleus Valadrian to the world, sitting on the throne of Avandor as the nation's legitimate king.</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Avandor_Dominion&diff=274872 2015-01-01T05:26:49Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Avandor is the shining beacon of civilization in northern Antandides since the recession of the Lattaneran Empire (or so they believe). Hemmed in by the chaotic Freedlands to the west, the staunchly independent City States to the south and the almost horrific Iboria to the north, its not hard to see how the people of Avandor take such a warlike stance on most matters of state. To date Avandor has succeeded in nearly doubling its holdings, gaining ground on Iboria's borders and conquering a significant amount of the Freedlands and pushing the Kalit Lake and the eastmost adjoining rivers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> In the distant past Avandor was known as the Physian Province, whose capital was the city of Avandorium. For hundreds of years it was considered a backwater province, vulnerable to barbarian raids and few on mineral riches. It did however have an abundance of timber and pelts. Enterprising aritocrats made alliances with various trading companies, including the gnome clans that would later coalesce into the [[West End Trade and Import Guild (Polesia)| West Enders]]. With these alliances the province became one of the most powerful and influential in the empire.<br /> <br /> When it became apparent that the empire needed more than one head to function, the Emperor named Physia the capital of the new Northern Empire and appointed an Archconsul. By this time the governing of the northern province had passed largely to families of mixed heritage and so the position was given to a man named Hanared Elphias. Hanared and his decedents did an admirable job for nearly three centuries but the pressure of barbarian raids ensured that the province continued on a slow decline. When dragons re-awoke in 800 CA it was more than the northern forces could bear, spread thinly as they were along the borders. The Northern Empire was force to abandon much of its northmost territory and could no longer assure the safety of their southern provinces which later became the City States.<br /> <br /> Everything finally came crashing down with the defeat of the northern armies at the hand of an ancient black dragon named Na'azh and his orc cultists. With the army slain there was no one to oppose the orcs as they marched on Avandorium, and while the city walls had resisted larger hosts of landbound enemies before, there was little they could do to counter Na'azh who simply flew overhead and rained acid on the defenders. The only survivors were those who fled, supposedly including the Archconsul's child Edengar, who was said to be brought up in a nearby castle by one of Hanared's most trusted subjects. For almost a hundred years the descendants of Hanared were raised in obscurity, according to legend biding their time until finally Erabis appeared to Yoriah the Blessed and commanded him to take back the lands of his forebears and restore order to the chaos that had befallen the Northern Empire.<br /> <br /> From 892-894 CA Yoriah gathered men, raised an army, and fought his rivals. Everyone he met in battle either bent the knee or were destroyed and it seemed to all that he was indeed chosen by Erabis and blessed by all other gods as well. During these wars of subjugation, Yoriah makes pacts with a large tribe of orcs called the Urkon, whom he uses to augment and train his own warriors. With such a powerful force at his command it is not an enemy but time that finally undoes the divine conqueror and he dies at the age of 57 leaving the work of finishing his dream to his four sons (Yoriah II, Vagmund, Alectus, and Borfred). This is however, delayed as the brothers show no intention of cooperating and compete fiercely over their father's lands. In the end it is Alectus who prevails and has his brother's summarily executed as traitors. <br /> <br /> Alectus goes on to secure most of the lands that were previously part of the Physian Province and feels that for now his father's dream is achieved. For nearly a hundred years after his descendants fought to keep it secure against the incursions that had brought down their ancestors long ago. Heroes of renown are born in this time, a few from Hanared's line, now sanctified as the house of Valadrian. Many of the dragons and their kin are either slain or driven from Avandor and the savage orcs and humans are brought to heel or routed and driven out.<br /> <br /> However, dreams of expansion continued to burn bright in the hearts of Hanared's offspring and mere security was no longer enough. In 1042 CA Caelius Valadrian began planning an expansion to the south, meaning to bring the riches of the City States into his possession. Avandor moved against Lacaeta first. Their armies were vast, but years of fighting pitched battles in the field against savages had not prepared them for a siege against a city as large and as powerful as they now faced, and Lacaeta shut their gates and waited out their foes, sending skirmishers in at night to kill their officers as well as riders to other City States and even to Lattanera for assistance. When the emperor heard that Avandor was moving south he immediately reacted by sending his forces north along with the threat of unspeakable retaliation should Avandor not stay where it rightfully belonged. Thus was Avandor first truly defeated and they withdrew licking their wounds. It would be nearly thirty years before they tried to expand their borders again.<br /> <br /> During those thirty years the throne again came under contention. The king at the time Florus Valadrian had a daughter and two younger sons Gallius and Vatio, the sons both seemed incapbale of both marriage or siring even natural born heirs and the daughter Elevia had been wed to an orc named Sorvan Raudoram (of the Red Hand) by whom she concieved and bore a son that he named Bal-Votauk (the Inmost Fire) by his father's people, but was properly sanctified as Temecleus Valadrian by his mother's. Because of Sorvan and Elevia's reportedly happy marriage, rumors began to abound that their marriage hadn't been because of the honor that Sorvan had won in battle as was claimed but rather because the two had already been lovers in secret and the wedding arranged so that the Valadrian family wouldn't be disgraced by a bastard. Oddly none of this came up because of Temecleus's orc heritage, and this is because by this time the Valadrian family, along with most other nobles already had traces of orc blood in their veins, it was just rarely as pronounced as it was in Temecleus's case. Temecleus was raised as a full fledged member of the Valadrian family, and in time he married and had a son of his own. His uncles on the other hand had still had no children and it was clear that favor was beginning to shift to Temecleus and his heirs. However Temecleus's uncles were not about to sit by and allow the throne to pass to their sister's son so they conspired to have Temecleus, his father, and his son killed. The plot was carried out but it backfired due to Gallius also poisoning Vatio so that he could eliminate all potential rivals, which in turn meant that Temecleus was never poisoned as Vatio hadn't yet accomplished the deed. When the half-orc learned of the plot he rallied his supporters and dragged his uncle before a council of Erabisian judges (something that astonished most people who assumed that he would simply kill the man in retribution). The judges unanimously condemned Gallius to prison and Temecleus, now the heir apparent, sent his uncle to the dungeons without protest. However, when King Florus finally died, the crown was not on Temecleus's head for a day before he dragged his uncle from his cell and set about having him slowly and publicly dismembered.<br /> <br /> Not long after he called his war council together and began planning the conquest of the Freedlands to the west, claiming that like Yoriah before him, he had had a vision from Erabis that the time was right to conquer the more of the Northlands. But for all his piety and supposed visions, the idea of such a costly and potentially devastating war did not sit well with Temecleus's advisers who warned the king that the people were likely to revolt if he started conscripting them to fill the ranks of the army needed for such a task. In frustration Temecleus then put the following ultimatum before his advisers and his people, either men must be sent to bolster Avandor's forces or they would be taxed to pay for mercenaries. While the nobles were loath to pay the taxes required the commoners were more than happy to buy their way out of service when they could afford it. So the conquering armies of Avandor then consisted of noble youths and a few experienced knights augmented by mercenary soldiers as well as those peasants who simply could not afford the war tax. As such the conquest was mixed affair of costly victories and painfully slow expansion west until the armies found themselves at the impassible tributaries of Lake Kalit. Temecleus however was satisfied as he had expanded Avandor by a quarter of its former size and let his soldiers come home.<br /> <br /> For ten years Avandor found itself satisfied fighting to keep a hold of its Freedlands conquests, but then came the disaster of the Godsmeet and once again Temecleus called his people in the name of Erabis. While he was expelling Midwife and Reaper Ashtrans from his lands and trying to sow seeds of righteous anger among his peopel, Emperor Felix Remelius gifted him with the perfect excuse when he actually executed Erabisian priests who refused to acknowledge Ashtra as the greater of the two gods. Now with the deaths of these men in addition to the priests murdered at the Godsmeet, the people of Avandor were more than willing to march south against the obviously corrupt emperor to save people of Lattanera and shine the light of Erabis in the south.<br /> <br /> ==Government==<br /> <br /> Like many of the nations in Antanides, the Avandor Dominion is a monarchy, ruled by the presumed descendants of the Archconsuls who governed the Northern Empire in the name of Lattannis. The royal family has close ties to the faith of [[The Gods of Polesia| Erabis]], using their credo of manifest destiny to help keep order among their citizens and justify their expansion efforts. It is currently the time of the Valadrian dynasty, which has been radical in the fact that the family has obvious traces of orc blood which they owe to the Urkon tribe that slowly gained societal prominence. Though they look and often are fearsome, the Valadrians are also renowned for their learning and diplomacy, traits one rarely expects from half-orcs</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Avandor_Dominion&diff=274871 2015-01-01T05:25:58Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Avandor is the shining beacon of civilization in northern Antandides since the recession of the Lattaneran Empire (or so they believe). Hemmed in by the chaotic Freedlands to the west, the staunchly independent City States to the south and the almost horrific Iboria to the north, its not hard to see how the people of Avandor take such a warlike stance on most matters of state. To date Avandor has succeeded in nearly doubling its holdings, gaining ground on Iboria's borders and conquering a significant amount of the Freedlands and pushing the Kalit Lake and the westmost adjoining rivers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> In the distant past Avandor was known as the Physian Province, whose capital was the city of Avandorium. For hundreds of years it was considered a backwater province, vulnerable to barbarian raids and few on mineral riches. It did however have an abundance of timber and pelts. Enterprising aritocrats made alliances with various trading companies, including the gnome clans that would later coalesce into the [[West End Trade and Import Guild (Polesia)| West Enders]]. With these alliances the province became one of the most powerful and influential in the empire.<br /> <br /> When it became apparent that the empire needed more than one head to function, the Emperor named Physia the capital of the new Northern Empire and appointed an Archconsul. By this time the governing of the northern province had passed largely to families of mixed heritage and so the position was given to a man named Hanared Elphias. Hanared and his decedents did an admirable job for nearly three centuries but the pressure of barbarian raids ensured that the province continued on a slow decline. When dragons re-awoke in 800 CA it was more than the northern forces could bear, spread thinly as they were along the borders. The Northern Empire was force to abandon much of its northmost territory and could no longer assure the safety of their southern provinces which later became the City States.<br /> <br /> Everything finally came crashing down with the defeat of the northern armies at the hand of an ancient black dragon named Na'azh and his orc cultists. With the army slain there was no one to oppose the orcs as they marched on Avandorium, and while the city walls had resisted larger hosts of landbound enemies before, there was little they could do to counter Na'azh who simply flew overhead and rained acid on the defenders. The only survivors were those who fled, supposedly including the Archconsul's child Edengar, who was said to be brought up in a nearby castle by one of Hanared's most trusted subjects. For almost a hundred years the descendants of Hanared were raised in obscurity, according to legend biding their time until finally Erabis appeared to Yoriah the Blessed and commanded him to take back the lands of his forebears and restore order to the chaos that had befallen the Northern Empire.<br /> <br /> From 892-894 CA Yoriah gathered men, raised an army, and fought his rivals. Everyone he met in battle either bent the knee or were destroyed and it seemed to all that he was indeed chosen by Erabis and blessed by all other gods as well. During these wars of subjugation, Yoriah makes pacts with a large tribe of orcs called the Urkon, whom he uses to augment and train his own warriors. With such a powerful force at his command it is not an enemy but time that finally undoes the divine conqueror and he dies at the age of 57 leaving the work of finishing his dream to his four sons (Yoriah II, Vagmund, Alectus, and Borfred). This is however, delayed as the brothers show no intention of cooperating and compete fiercely over their father's lands. In the end it is Alectus who prevails and has his brother's summarily executed as traitors. <br /> <br /> Alectus goes on to secure most of the lands that were previously part of the Physian Province and feels that for now his father's dream is achieved. For nearly a hundred years after his descendants fought to keep it secure against the incursions that had brought down their ancestors long ago. Heroes of renown are born in this time, a few from Hanared's line, now sanctified as the house of Valadrian. Many of the dragons and their kin are either slain or driven from Avandor and the savage orcs and humans are brought to heel or routed and driven out.<br /> <br /> However, dreams of expansion continued to burn bright in the hearts of Hanared's offspring and mere security was no longer enough. In 1042 CA Caelius Valadrian began planning an expansion to the south, meaning to bring the riches of the City States into his possession. Avandor moved against Lacaeta first. Their armies were vast, but years of fighting pitched battles in the field against savages had not prepared them for a siege against a city as large and as powerful as they now faced, and Lacaeta shut their gates and waited out their foes, sending skirmishers in at night to kill their officers as well as riders to other City States and even to Lattanera for assistance. When the emperor heard that Avandor was moving south he immediately reacted by sending his forces north along with the threat of unspeakable retaliation should Avandor not stay where it rightfully belonged. Thus was Avandor first truly defeated and they withdrew licking their wounds. It would be nearly thirty years before they tried to expand their borders again.<br /> <br /> During those thirty years the throne again came under contention. The king at the time Florus Valadrian had a daughter and two younger sons Gallius and Vatio, the sons both seemed incapbale of both marriage or siring even natural born heirs and the daughter Elevia had been wed to an orc named Sorvan Raudoram (of the Red Hand) by whom she concieved and bore a son that he named Bal-Votauk (the Inmost Fire) by his father's people, but was properly sanctified as Temecleus Valadrian by his mother's. Because of Sorvan and Elevia's reportedly happy marriage, rumors began to abound that their marriage hadn't been because of the honor that Sorvan had won in battle as was claimed but rather because the two had already been lovers in secret and the wedding arranged so that the Valadrian family wouldn't be disgraced by a bastard. Oddly none of this came up because of Temecleus's orc heritage, and this is because by this time the Valadrian family, along with most other nobles already had traces of orc blood in their veins, it was just rarely as pronounced as it was in Temecleus's case. Temecleus was raised as a full fledged member of the Valadrian family, and in time he married and had a son of his own. His uncles on the other hand had still had no children and it was clear that favor was beginning to shift to Temecleus and his heirs. However Temecleus's uncles were not about to sit by and allow the throne to pass to their sister's son so they conspired to have Temecleus, his father, and his son killed. The plot was carried out but it backfired due to Gallius also poisoning Vatio so that he could eliminate all potential rivals, which in turn meant that Temecleus was never poisoned as Vatio hadn't yet accomplished the deed. When the half-orc learned of the plot he rallied his supporters and dragged his uncle before a council of Erabisian judges (something that astonished most people who assumed that he would simply kill the man in retribution). The judges unanimously condemned Gallius to prison and Temecleus, now the heir apparent, sent his uncle to the dungeons without protest. However, when King Florus finally died, the crown was not on Temecleus's head for a day before he dragged his uncle from his cell and set about having him slowly and publicly dismembered.<br /> <br /> Not long after he called his war council together and began planning the conquest of the Freedlands to the west, claiming that like Yoriah before him, he had had a vision from Erabis that the time was right to conquer the more of the Northlands. But for all his piety and supposed visions, the idea of such a costly and potentially devastating war did not sit well with Temecleus's advisers who warned the king that the people were likely to revolt if he started conscripting them to fill the ranks of the army needed for such a task. In frustration Temecleus then put the following ultimatum before his advisers and his people, either men must be sent to bolster Avandor's forces or they would be taxed to pay for mercenaries. While the nobles were loath to pay the taxes required the commoners were more than happy to buy their way out of service when they could afford it. So the conquering armies of Avandor then consisted of noble youths and a few experienced knights augmented by mercenary soldiers as well as those peasants who simply could not afford the war tax. As such the conquest was mixed affair of costly victories and painfully slow expansion west until the armies found themselves at the impassible tributaries of Lake Kalit. Temecleus however was satisfied as he had expanded Avandor by a quarter of its former size and let his soldiers come home.<br /> <br /> For ten years Avandor found itself satisfied fighting to keep a hold of its Freedlands conquests, but then came the disaster of the Godsmeet and once again Temecleus called his people in the name of Erabis. While he was expelling Midwife and Reaper Ashtrans from his lands and trying to sow seeds of righteous anger among his peopel, Emperor Felix Remelius gifted him with the perfect excuse when he actually executed Erabisian priests who refused to acknowledge Ashtra as the greater of the two gods. Now with the deaths of these men in addition to the priests murdered at the Godsmeet, the people of Avandor were more than willing to march south against the obviously corrupt emperor to save people of Lattanera and shine the light of Erabis in the south.<br /> <br /> ==Government==<br /> <br /> Like many of the nations in Antanides, the Avandor Dominion is a monarchy, ruled by the presumed descendants of the Archconsuls who governed the Northern Empire in the name of Lattannis. The royal family has close ties to the faith of [[The Gods of Polesia| Erabis]], using their credo of manifest destiny to help keep order among their citizens and justify their expansion efforts. It is currently the time of the Valadrian dynasty, which has been radical in the fact that the family has obvious traces of orc blood which they owe to the Urkon tribe that slowly gained societal prominence. Though they look and often are fearsome, the Valadrians are also renowned for their learning and diplomacy, traits one rarely expects from half-orcs</div>

Godofmusic https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Avandor_Dominion&diff=274820 2014-12-31T05:02:04Z

<p>Godofmusic: </p> <hr /> <div>Avandor is the shining beacon of civilization in northern Antandides since the recession of the Lattaneran Empire (or so they believe). Hemmed in by the chaotic Freedlands to the west, the staunchly independent City States to the south and the almost horrific Iboria to the north, its not hard to see how the people of Avandor take such a warlike stance on most matters of state. To date Avandor has succeeded in nearly doubling its holdings, gaining ground on Iboria's borders and conquering a significant amount of the Freedlands and pushing the Kalit Lake and the westmost adjoining rivers.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> <br /> In the distant past Avandor was known as the Physian Province, whose capital was the city of Avandorium. For hundreds of years it was considered a backwater province, vulnerable to barbarian raids and few on mineral riches. It did however have an abundance of timber and pelts. Enterprising aritocrats made alliances with various trading companies, including the gnome clans that would later coalesce into the [[West End Trade and Import Guild (Polesia)| West Enders]]. With these alliances the province became one of the most powerful and influential in the empire.<br /> <br /> When it became apparent that the empire needed more than one head to function, the Emperor named Physia the capital of the new Northern Empire and appointed an Archconsul. By this time the governing of the northern province had passed largely to families of mixed heritage and so the position was given to a man named Hanared Elhpius. Hanared and his decedents did an admirable job for a few more nearly three centuries but the pressure of barbarian raids ensured that the province continued on a slow decline. When dragons re-awoke in 800 CA it was more than the northern forces could bear, spread thinly as they were along the borders. The Northern Empire was force to abandon much of its northmost territory and could no longer assure the safety of their southern provinces which later became the City States. <br /> <br /> ==Government==<br /> <br /> Like many of the nations in Antanides, the Avandor Dominion is a monarchy, ruled by the presumed descendants of the Archconsuls who governed the Northern Empire in the name of Lattannis. The royal family has close ties to the faith of [[The Gods of Polesia| Erabis]], using their credo of manifest destiny to help keep order among their citizens and justify their expansion efforts. It is currently the time of the Valadrian dynasty, which has been radical in the fact that the family has obvious traces of orc blood which they owe to the Urkon tribe that slowly gained societal prominence. Though they look and often are fearsome, the Valadrians are also renowned for their learning and diplomacy, traits one rarely expects from half-orcs</div>

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