A Brief History of Aramir

In ages past, the immortal being, Rathgor, summoned a host of demons and led them against the Celestial Realms of Starglade and Moongarden. The armies clashed across the starscape and distant flashes of light illuminated the night sky. After many battles, the Ancestors, commonly known as the races of the Rad'El and the Khazadaw, made an alliance. This allowed them to destroy the Demonic Horde by working together, driving them back into the hellish wastes of Morlock. Thus Rathgor's forces were defeated. 

Soon after, with the threat temporarily quelled, the Ancestors sent explorers into the mysterious Rainbow Void. In a deep valley of scarlet hue, they discovered what they named the Rift, a rupture in the fabric of reality. After much debate, a gateway was built to stabilize the Rift, establishing a portal into another realm. Both Rad'El and Khazadaw sent their explorers through into the world beyond.  

Here, they discovered that they had emerged on one of ten islands in a vast inland sea, ringed by tall, snow-clad mountains. This began the First Age. Venturing to the far side of the mountains, they looked out across an endless expanse of ocean, realizing that the entire world was itself an island and floated above the sea. The Ancestors then named the land Aramir, meaning "Drifting Isle".  

Many cycles passed as they created a number of small communities on the islands. There were few other civilizations, and the Ancestors did not disturb the land's tranquility. But Rathgor had built up a new horde in Morlock. Soon, he breached the Rune Gate and his Demonic Horde crossed into Aramir.  

The Second Age erupted with war. Battle raged throughout Aramir as the Demonic Horde strove to bring the island world under Rathgor's control. As the Ancestors clashed with the metallic, armoured demons, Rathgor cast many dark spells, pitting Rad'El against Khazadaw. Soon there was a deep division between the two races, but eventually they summoned enough willpower and determination to ally again and defeat their foe. But some of the enmity remained, and so there grew a slight difference in views between the Rad'El and the Khazadaw. Even so, both races agreed to seal the Rune Gate, ultimately cutting themselves off from their own homelands.

The Third Age of Aramir saw the consolidation of the Ancestors' separate lands. The Khazadaw withdrew to a black, mountain isle and the Rad'El confined themselves to Belanyr, an isle dominated by forest.  

Throughout the continuing peace, trade and prosperity, a ruling council was created. It was decided that it would reside atop the colossal mountain of white marble that rose from Aramir's central island. Safe from the Rune Gate, and far from the edges of the world, the council would oversee civilization. The winged Elethyn, who lived here, allowed the Ancestors to use their sacred glades and shining citadel. Their divine presence awakened a new sense of higher morality. From the Dawn of Time they had waited for the discovery of their world; now they greeted the Ancestors with warmth and friendship.  

Then the Ancestors' mingling heralded a new race - that would change the world forever. They lived in the kingdoms of both Rad'El and Khazadaw, and it was they who suggested standing armies be trained for war. Many monsters had emerged from Aramir's corruption and a campaign began to rid the land of this taint. Then, inevitably, the Demonic Horde struck back, this time from another Rift in the ring of mountains. Allied together against the common foe and supported by their children, the Ancestors won a narrow victory, but their forces were massively depleted. The Rift was then sealed with another Rune Gate and a mighty fortress was built on top to further guard it.  

In the early stages of the Fourth Age, the Children of the Ancestors united into a new, separate nation. Seeking to build their own civilization, they constructed a new city around the Rune Gate. They called this city Atlantys, Jewel of Aramir. Atlantys was divided up into ten provinces, each ruled by a king and his queen.  

Atlantyan civilization sported many highly developed art forms and industries; they had inherited much knowledge, wisdom and culture from their parent races. They became an enlightened and educated people, versed in agriculture, science, magic, astronomy and warfare. However, there was a darker side to Atlantyan nature.  

An overwhelming ambition drove them to clear huge areas of virgin woodland, colonize valleys of pristine wilderness and take over mountain tops. The Ancestors had always built in harmony with nature, but the Atlantyans looked about them and saw the great deposits of minerals and other resources. They quickly took advantage and exploited Aramir to the fullest extent. Through the Ancestors' eyes this was desecration. They despaired about what action to take; it was then that Rathgor decided on a new strategy.  

The Ancestors were long since immune to his mind spells, but the Atlantyans were fresh, and weak. He called out to them; appealing to their sense of victory and progress. He found that he was able to control some of the creatures that infested the land; so he sent them against Atlantys. They crashed against the mighty walls like waves upon white cliffs and the air was filled with the clamour of battle. Furnaces churned out thousands of weapons, elegant suits of armour as well as war-machines capable of deadly destruction. The fires of industry burned; new inventions were forged, including steel chariots, crossbows, strange air craft with wooden wings and even weapons of explosive power. Such was the might of the Atlantyans that they threw back every siege, stopped every attack, growing stronger with each assault.  

Slowly, Rathgor's whispered promises of wealth, power, pleasure and conquest began to echo in the dark recesses of the Atlantyans' minds. They demanded that the Ancestors pay tribute to them, now that they were the dominant race of Aramir. When the Ancestors refused, the Atlantyans declared war. So began their conquest of the world.  

War raged across the land as the Atlantyans stormed the Ancestors' cities. Driven by lies and false promises, they swore oaths of blood, declaring their loyalty to Rathgor. At last he had them where he wanted them - in the heat of battle, waging a war that would only weaken all three races. With the corruption of so many souls, he had enough power to break the wards on the Rune Gate, virtually razing Atlantys to the ground. The Demonic Horde spread across Aramir like a cancer, bringing carnage, mayhem and ultimately, oblivion.  

Yet, there was still hope. One of the Atlantyans' queens was Sarah, co-ruler of the province of Farador. She alone amongst the Atlantyan monarchs was untouched by the curse. While the devastating war blazed, she fled her shattered city. Unfortunately she was captured and imprisoned. However, accompanied by a handful of loyal courtiers and guards she managed to escape to another island and sought refuge in the caves called Grathvor. Here she sacrificed her very being, imprisoning her immortal spirit in a giant crystal. Invoking ancient magic from the Dawn of Time, she hoped to free the Atlantyans from mental slavery.  

Dark clouds gathered in response to her sorcery. Thunder rolled across the heavens and rain lashed down, rusting the demons' metallic bodies. Jagged bolts of incandescent lightning struck them down, energy surging through them. Finally, the waters around Atlantys rose up and drowned the ruined city with a massive tidal wave, smashing it to the bottom of the sea along with the Rune Gate.  

It was then that the scattered remnants of the Atlantyans were divided and altered. Each group was affected by the sorcery a different way. In time they became the Prime Races.  

The Fifth Age proved to be an age of rejuvenation. Each of the Prime Races claimed one of the islands to settle on, except for the people of the last race, who took it upon themselves to go searching for the lost city of Atlantys. After many cycles, and with the last of the Ancestors' help, they rediscovered it and rebuilt it on an artificial island with the Rune Gate at its centre. This they swore to guard with constant and absolute vigilance.  

For a thousand cycles the land healed, and new life blossomed. The Elethyn chose an Antharin to wear the mantle of the Star Queen; she would rule over Aramir at the head of the Constellation. Represented by their own leaders, each of the Prime Races would have a say in the governing of their world.