Dures II
Era beginning/end
Dures II was one of the last emperors of the Vannic people, as he began to see the end of the Vannic empire as inevitable, he established a new dynasty, the Ordrish rulers to rule the successor state in Arc. He also engaged in the biggest building projects since the creation of Arc itself, including the creation of the Library of Harenis. Dures feared that much of the wisdom and knowledge of the Vannic people would be lost as a result of the Vannic Civil War. Dures II was one of the most significant and important rulers of the Vannic World and is remembered across Aestis as a powerful and determined ruler.
In the 32 years after his death from -2172 to -2140 two of his children, Dures III and Antrages I ruled the Vannic Empire as it fragmented and they attempted to move its capital to Arc. Antrages died without an heir but it was his nephew Traedas Ordrish who established the Ordrish dynasty, the first great rulers of Arc.
Related events:
The Rise of the Esoteric Heresy (-2175 to -2150): For millennia before the decline of the Arc Empire, the Keeper (see
The Story of the Keeper), the one god who held all magic, weakened and suffered a slow decline. A surge of interest in arcane magic and the exploration of new magical techniques emerged during this period, partly resulting from the building of the new Library of
Harenis. Cunning and ambitious mortals began seeking ways to access the power that the ailing Keeper could no longer fully control.
These mortals, driven by a desire for power and knowledge, formed secretive cabals and learned dark arts from the Legion of Damnation. They set about creating the first-ever artificial spellforge: the
The Memnarch Device. This groundbreaking invention allowed these select individuals to leech magic directly from the Keeper, bypassing the natural order of magic distribution.
The establishment of several renowned magical circles was another significant development during this period. These groups, known as Esoteric Heresies by the early Aruhvian Church provided a platform for sharing and expanding the knowledge of magic, which were now accessible to mortals. The academies attracted talented individuals from across the Vannic Empire, who delved into the secrets of the Memnarch Device and developed innovative spells and magical items that would shape the future of the Arclands.
The fate of the Esoterics is unknown but Aruhvian scholars argue that the Keeper's wrath fell upon them and his Graces were dispatched to end their plunder.
