Human History: Pre-sundering

Human History: Pre-Sundering

Origins and Fracture

The continent of Morinth in the world of Atha was once fragmented into numerous warring city-states such as Varenhold, Elmswatch, and Ironforge. These early communities were marked by constant conflict over land, resources, and diverse religious beliefs, each city guided by its distinct spiritual practices.

The Great Cataclysm

Approximately 500 years ago, the Great Cataclysm—a devastating earthquake followed by supernatural storms—ravaged Morinth. This disaster forced the disparate human factions to abandon their old rivalries and unite for survival. The strongest leaders from surviving settlements formed a crucial alliance to rebuild their lands.

Prologue: The Chronicle of the United Dominion of Eridus

In the ancient days of Atha, long before the lands were united under the banner of the Dominion, the continent of Morinth was a mosaic of powerful city-states, each carving its destiny through the annals of time.
Elmswatch, nestled within the verdant embrace of the Evershade Forest, was the cradle of communion with the natural world. Founded by the visionary druidess Calla Greenmantle circa -400 AS, it blossomed under the light of Solaria, Goddess of Light and Life. The people of Elmswatch lived in harmony with the forest, their lives woven into the cycles of growth and renewal. They celebrated the Midsummer Lights Festival with fervor, a testament to their deep connection with Solaria's radiance, and constructed grand temples from the living wood of the Dawnspire Trees, symbols of their enduring faith.
Ironforge rose from the rugged expanse of the Ironheart Mountains circa -300 AS, its foundations laid by the indomitable Haldrin Ironfist. In this land where fire kissed steel, the people worshipped Malakar, God of Blood and Sacrifice, their lives defined by the clang of the hammer and the heat of the forge. The Crimson Pact bound them, a brotherhood of warriors and smiths who built the Bulwark of the North, a colossal fortification that echoed their unyielding spirit. Their festivals of embers lit the night sky, celebrating the strength that protected them from the encroaching wilds.
Varenhold was established circa -200 AS amidst the stoic Mourning Mountains by Ysmerelda Varen, who united disparate tribes under the banner of stability provided by Terranox, the Earth Warder. The city was a bastion of endurance, its people valuing the solid rock beneath them as much as the precious metals they mined. Their culture was a tapestry of resilience, from the resonating Victory of Echoed Valleys to the vibrant Decennial Forge Festivals, where metal and magic intertwined to showcase Varenhold’s prowess.
Blackspire, the enigma of the Umbra Fields, emerged circa -100 AS, founded by Nyxara the Veiled and her cabal of warlocks. This city-state delved into the shadows of magic, where Noctura whispered secrets of the void. The Whispering Void cult thrived here, their dark pursuits culminating in the construction of the Iron Circle, a place of power where reality itself seemed pliable. The Night of Wailing Shadows, when spectral horrors slipped through their arcane barriers, marked them not as scholars but as harbingers of doom in the eyes of their neighbors.
The tapestry of peace was torn asunder when the alliance of city-states, driven by fear and spurred by the dark tales emanating from Blackspire, declared war circa -50 AS. The conflict was marked by sieges and sorcery, ambushes and alliances forged in desperation. The war culminated in Nyxara’s final, desperate act—the Pact of the Abyssal Legion—intended to save her city from annihilation.
The Sundering, in the year 0 AS, was a cataclysm born from that dark ritual. As Nyxara sought to harness the abyssal energies, the fabric of reality tore, reshaping the continent. Mountains crumbled; rivers forged new paths, and forests became labyrinths of shadow. The old world was lost, but from its ashes rose a new era of cooperation and unity among the survivors.
The United Dominion of Eridus was born from the need to survive and the desire to never again allow such devastation. It stood as a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience of its people who had learned that only together could they forge a future safe from the shadows of the past.