Welcome to the Delvers Universe, an ongoing story that primarily takes place on the planet Arkos. The world of Arkos exists in the Mortal Realm of Creation, and has long been home to the races of mortalkind.
History on Arkos is primarily divided into four distinct portions or Ages as they are commonly called:
- Pre-recorded history - the Age of the Unknown
- The First Age - The Age of Ancients (0 - 5000 1A)
- The Second Age - The Age of Monsters (0 - 2000 2A)
- The Third Age - The Age of Heroes (0 3A - Present Day)
The prevailing story of creation in Western Arkos is that at the dawn of time, a being with power beyond comprehension, the Creator, formed great worlds and expanses. The Creator was lonely in his great creation, and decided to create beings he could have a relationship with. Initially, these beings took the form of the Numina, six primodial entities that made of the pillars of creation, those being: Light, Dark, Order, Chaos, Life, and Death. For reasons unknown and widely contended the Numina disappeared from the material world, leaving the Creator to mold a race that would steward the various aspects of the realms.
This marks the beginning of the First Age and the earliest records of recorded history. These great beings are known as the Ancients, and wielded great power and knowledge. Thus began the first age, with the Ancients watching over their charges and combatting evil denizens such as the Infernals, the Voidborn, and creatures from the Beyond, while the eternal struggle between the primordial forces of Light and Dark continued in the various realms. As civilizations grew and developed, some Ancients believed that they were better off with creation under their rule to weave as they saw fit, and rebelled against the Creator. The Alphacians, a particularly intelligent and powerful race that controlled a vast empire across the surface of Arkos, also challenged the Ancients for the right to steward creation. A great war took place between what is now known as the Prime Ancients and the Fallen. This event became known as the Cataclysm, and resulted in the civilizations and races of the First Age nearly becoming extinct. The war was ended when the Creator himself plunged his sword into the heart of the planet Arkos, splitting the once conglomerated landmass into seperate continents. The Fallen Ancients that were not destroyed were either cast down into the mortal realm or withdrew into hiding. It is said that wherever a Fallen impacted in the realm where they fell, it would leave the land desolate and contaminated. The Prime Ancients continued their assigned work, while a few retreated and became lost in legend. While the exact fate of the Creator is unknown, many believe he withdrew from the known realms, heartbroken that his creation would betray him.
Thus began the Second Age, a time where mortalkind struggled to rebuild after the Cataclysm had ravaged much of their world, leaving once great civilizations in ruins. Where once the Ancients had walked among and even befriended the various mortal races, they were now somewhat absent and sometimes altogether silent. Much knowledge and great magic power that was once rampant was now lost to time, most notably the great empire and technolgical might of the Alphacians. This age is often characterized by destructive events and bloody battles as new races emerged on Arkos and began to establish a semblance of society. Mythra Cresentia, after liberating the northern world from the clutches of the Fallen Ancient Nex, established the mighty Crescent Empire.
Thus began the Third Age, with the nations of Arkos finally establishing themselves and growing prosperous as trade and exploration surged with newfound momentum. The prolific Church of Creation was formed as Arkos' dominant religion, and knowledge was acquired by many at an unprecedented level.
During the year 1001 3A, the Fallen Ancient Nex managed to return to Arkos with the help of the Followers of Nex cult. After destroying a portion of Arkos' moon Lien-Da, Nex enacted a ritual known as the Kindling, which attempted to harvest the anima of all living things on Arkos to create a new realm of Nex's design. While Nex did technically succeed in his goal and left much of Crescentia in a state of ruin, he was eventually stopped and the Kindling was reversed by the adventuring group known as the Companions. Nex was banished to a an unknown location, and the Companions were hailed as heroes of legend by the Crescent Empire and much of Western Arkos.
The current year is 1007 3A. Many across Arkos have become disillusioned with the Ancients after Nex's true origins and other vital information of Arkos' past were revealed by the Companions. The safety of magic has also been called into question across Arkos, due to the actions of the insane Lightsworn Janus. Becoming Lightbringer, an avatar of the Light Numina, Janus fused himself with the Weave in attempt to kill every creature connected with it. Though he was destroyed by the adventuring group known as the Sanctioned, the damage he inflicted upon the Weave still lingers. With the country of Velant still recovering from Janus' madness, and a civil war in Oreion still raging, the future of many in Arkos remains more uncertain than ever...
