Foreword
This is absolutely where the author is going to humble-brag about himself, his journeys through Phyos, and all of his accomplishments. He will also name drop as many famous or noteworthy people he can so I will need a list of that. Also I love you.Legendary Age - Epic Age
The Great Creation
There were stars, void, and dust. SUN came to be, and so did Phelum. Together they formed Phyos, and when the three settled amongst the void, then came blood. From the blood, the sun created the elves and the giants and Phyos created dragons and dwarves. From the light of the stars and the darkness of the void, SUN, Phelum, and Phyos bore magic to bind all life together.In time, that life flourished into new life on Phyos. Miniscule at first until they grew into full-fledged creatures made of feathers, furs, and flesh. But it wasn’t just the beasts and the birds – life flourished elsewhere too, in the form of orcs, made from a union of elves and ogres.
The First Conflict
Years passed and Phyos grew and grew, and life spread to nearly every corner of the planet. The birds and beasts began to gain sentience; apes and avians picked up tools, learned language, and formed their own versions of society. But they were leagues behind their elders; the dragons first learned to harness the void and the stars’ light, shaping the world with their own claws. They became near immortal and grew to the size of mountains, untouchable and unmistakable in their power.Conflict soon followed. Jealous, the giants began to hunt dragons for sport; the ancient elves started warring with their neighbors, the ogres; and with the surface consumed by the flames of war, the dwarves dug deep into the soil. In response to the fighting, Phyos broke itself apart, an event that became known as Phayonyyda. It did little to slow the war, and the problems between elves and ogres intensified when the dragons chose to pass their gift of magic onto the elves, foregoing the ogres out of hope that the ancient elves might one day assist them in their own troubles with the giants. Instead, the ancient elves took the knowledge of the dragons and twisted it beyond recognition. Magic that was once used to mold Phyos and bind all life together was corrupted into tools of war to be used for death and conquest.
A Brief Peace
The orcs, their own numbers now far surpassed that of their parent races’, placed themselves between the two groups, forcing an armistice by threat of obliteration. Meanwhile, as the giants hunted the dragons to near extinction, the apes and the avians continued on, blissfully unaware of their warring cousins. Eventually, they became known as humans and omruda.Epic Age - First Era
(ELF WORD FOR CORRUPTION)
By the time the ancient elves realized the folly of their ways, they chose to seclude themselves far to the northwest of Phyos, naming their new home Dylynphyan. Many of the elves of old refused to uphold their vow to the dragons, but some of their cousins did not. These cousins compelled their brethren to take up arms against the giants as promised. But when the call was still refused, they turned to the ogres, and together they created a new type of magic, perverting the stars’ light itself. From this came a weapon more terrible than had ever been seen before, and they unleashed this monstrosity on the giants. The magic corrupted the giants, causing a great sickness that passed onto their children, and their children’s children, for generations to come.The Two Tenets
This perversion of magic led to a great rift among the elves. From that rift was created the two tenets of ethics that the elves hold to this day: on the right, depicted in an outstretched hand in the form of a ruby-colored fruit is the nature of benevolence; they are the Elves of the Tree-Bark. On the left another hand, closed and clutched around a willow branch in its fist; these are the words of the hedonist tenet, the Elves of the Tree-Root.The Arrival of Man, Omindia's Rise
While the elves formed these cultural beliefs and societal structures, mankind found its way into the sea, spreading north and flourishing from the thousand islands of Thyd to Ayaoh, where man began their first steps into an old and tired land. They were greeted by the giants, who shared with them the Celebration of the Dawn – a daily revelry to relish in those who survived the night to make it into the next morning. Over the years, the giants continued to aid humans in establishing settlements along the shores of Ayaoh. On the other side of the world, the omruda had already created their own magnificent cities amongst the tall tree tops and jagged peaks of a continent they called Omindia.Disappearance of Dragons
But while humans and omruda were just starting out new lives in the old world, the dragons dwindled into near nothingness. In an effort to escape total eradication, they sought sanctuary within the mountains and valleys of Phyos, hiding in plain sight. Their disturbance in the mountains brought upon the birth of goblins, who were said to spring from the rock itself. A race of intelligent beings with a prediliction for mischief, the goblins quickly spread to the northernmost parts of Phyos.Meeting of Elves and Man
Despite their efforts, giants could not keep the old world from discovering humanity. Dwarves were the second race to come into contact with man, trading goods with the fledgling people, offering metals and teaching them how to bend it into new tools. This meeting accelerated humanity’s growth; from tiny settlements made from mud and sticks into full-fledged villages of stone and iron. It wasn’t long before humans could no longer be ignored by the other peoples of Phyos, who began to come from their own corners of the world to see the maturing race.Ascendance of Man
The introduction of elves and humans could not have come at a better moment. It was then that both the giants and the dwarves chose to abandon man; fortunately, elves were there to quickly help guide humanity, elevating them to form the beginnings of the first human kingdom. Soon, humans and elves became intertwined with one another. It became a point of pride among humans who could speak, read, and write in elvish, who would then also partake in many elven customs. Elves learned that while humans did not have a natural inclination toward magic, they could in fact be taught through meticulous study and meditation. For the humans who could perform such feats, they became sages and began to teach their own schools of magic based on two tenets: the Empty House and the Temple of the Stars Brilliant Light.Similarities between humanity and elves cannot go unsaid. For the elves, the young race was as closer to them in physical likeness than any other. For the humans, they saw the elves as pillars of achievement. While humans strove to be like their elders, the elves took great care in guiding and fostering the young ones. It didn’t take long for human population to grow exponentially. The elves encouraged their nautical exploration eastward while whole groups sought to expand to the northwestern reaches of Ayaoh, which had now become known as Dollenshime.
The Great Schism, Invasion of the North
On the other side of Phyos in the tree tops of Omindia, a great schism occurred among the omruda. A mass exodus of those themselves garuda arrived on the northern shores of Dollenshime seeking to expand into new territory, only to clash with the recently settled humans instead. In the end, humanity managed to push them back to the unknown regions of Dollenshime, solidifying their place as a race to be respected.This victory over the invading garuda managed to bring humanity’s skill for battle to light. In fact, the more humans grew, the more difficult it became for anyone to doubt their adaptability and tenacity – something that most other races could not compare to. While other races may live longer lives and enjoy boundless knowledge, humans have only a few short years by comparison, and have therefore overcome insurmountable obstacles. One of those obstacles came shortly after their victory over the garuda with a threat so great that it threatened all life in Dollenshime.
The Elven-Orcish War
Orcs saw the growth of humanity not as a natural progression of life, but as a threat to their very existence. They took their anger and resentment out on their elven forebears, whom they saw as responsible for the advancement of mankind. In response, humanity was quick to act; they took up arms to defend the elves and fight alongside them. The elves, armed with their devastating talent for magic, worked perfectly in tandem with humans and their penchant for strategic warfare. The war that followed was a long and bloody one, so great and terrible that it became known as The Elven-Orcish War.An Elven Legend Rises
Over the course of several generations, tens of millions died – humans, orcs, and elves alike. The conflict seemed endless until the arrival of Omyya, who would soon become known to all as The Warrior. A being of great power, his knowledge of magic allowed him to tap into the very core of Phyos, using the elements themselves as weapons. It was through this magic that he offered the orcs a chance at peace. Through his will alone, The Warrior conjured a crystal and buried it deep into Phyos before the armies themselves, but even this display of raw power was not enough.It took many more months before The Warrior was forced to act once again. Wielding only the magic that gave him power over Phyos, The Warrior summoned a mass of land, pulled from the sea itself, and brought it into the eastern shores of Dollenshime. From this came the Ak’orak’ka mountain range – and an ultimatum: cease this pointless war or die. In the end, the orcs realized they had no choice but to surrender.