Introduction
in World HandbookAbout Eldridth
To provide a bit of initial context, the world is living in a fair amount of peace currently, at least on the continent you live on. Little is known of how the other continents are, as they are distantly across the dangerous ocean. The chance of a successful trip across the ocean is small enough that perhaps one in a thousand would make it across, so making a return trip is next to impossible. Though travel to the southeast continent of Shodra, or wish for visitors from that dark continent could be suicide or traitorous respectively. The sky hermits of Vashten would likely be a pleasant trip if one would make it to this northwestern continent, though none that have attempted have returned.
This continent, named Aygess, is primarily home to Humans, Elves, Dwarfs, though there are several other sentient races that inhabit the land. Several hundred years ago, the dwarves lived in their ancient carved cities, but were driven out by horrific subterranean monsters that have become known as Reavers. History beyond that is a less well known by common folk, as keeping track of the past, and teaching it was not a priority of a vast quantity of the previous generations. Its been a fairly peaceful several centuries on the surface, with only localized wars and conflict. Although mythology differs slightly depending on whom you are speaking, some very obvious common threads emerge. For example everyone agrees that during the Dark Celest Age, long long ago, the world was connected to the Shadowfell Plane, and an army of Orcs, Tieflings, Minotaurs and Drow emerged and served the Primordial Azar, the ancient fire elemental. It was only through a great war that the world was freed from being consumed in endless fire, destruction and slavery. The connection to the Dark Realm was severed, and the dark gods power's waned. The Orcs and Drow retreated and scattered to the far south east.
This is where different cultures believe different things. Some say that the God Vastnar, angry over the loss of so many of his beloved dragons broke the world into three continents to put much distance between the army's of the dark lords and what remained of his dragons. Others claim it was the arrival of Aegis and his Goliath warriors that broke the world. Some even claim it was Neraeos who filled the oceans, worried the conflict on the land, could end up spilling into his domain. What is agreed upon is that some Divine action separated the world into the three continents.
It was not long before another plane of existence ended up opening into Eldridth. It is accepted by many that it was Gaia who did this, but others said that it was a direct cause of separating with Shadowfell. Either way, many different pathways opened up into the realms of the Fey, in their plane the Feywild. This is when the elves migrated in mass into our world, as well as many other creatures of the Fey. Finding your way between the two planes is much more difficult today, but for a period of almost 500 years it was fairly simple and easy.
For awhile some of the Gods would Dwell among the world, or visit. But when the Divine War against the Primordials was concluded, Pentharian ordered a new balance be taken with the material plane, and the Divine would no longer remain within the prime plane. From there it was a long period of adjustment, the world had many new races, animals. There are international conflicts, that sprung up, and many in the world deeply mistrust magic, fearing both the power, and potiential consequences from its use. Fire magic above all is frowned upon by many. Most cities and towns full out ban the use or practice of Fire magic, some going as far to ban all magic.
Most sentient races lived side by side as coworkers, neighbors, and friends, especially with the darkest races banished to the southern continent. That is until the Reavers pushed the Dwarves to the surface. The mass influx of refuges from the underside had greatly disrupted the status quo. It was not as though the Dwarves wanted to be on the surface, many of them even generations later are wary of the wide open spaces. Dwarves had long lived with comforts under ground that do not exist above. Created long ago by there ancestors, many of the ancient mechanisms that made life easier for them, were made so long ago, that none alive knew how to recreate them any more.
This brings us to the fairly close to current events, something is happening in the world, but it is difficult to put a finger on what is happening. The world seems to be moving forward as normal, but to the perceptive viewer, with the right perspective, one may see a dark presence growing in the world, and things are drifting in a new direction. What is the calamity preparing to befall the civilized nations of Aygess, and are they prepared to handle it?
This continent, named Aygess, is primarily home to Humans, Elves, Dwarfs, though there are several other sentient races that inhabit the land. Several hundred years ago, the dwarves lived in their ancient carved cities, but were driven out by horrific subterranean monsters that have become known as Reavers. History beyond that is a less well known by common folk, as keeping track of the past, and teaching it was not a priority of a vast quantity of the previous generations. Its been a fairly peaceful several centuries on the surface, with only localized wars and conflict. Although mythology differs slightly depending on whom you are speaking, some very obvious common threads emerge. For example everyone agrees that during the Dark Celest Age, long long ago, the world was connected to the Shadowfell Plane, and an army of Orcs, Tieflings, Minotaurs and Drow emerged and served the Primordial Azar, the ancient fire elemental. It was only through a great war that the world was freed from being consumed in endless fire, destruction and slavery. The connection to the Dark Realm was severed, and the dark gods power's waned. The Orcs and Drow retreated and scattered to the far south east.
This is where different cultures believe different things. Some say that the God Vastnar, angry over the loss of so many of his beloved dragons broke the world into three continents to put much distance between the army's of the dark lords and what remained of his dragons. Others claim it was the arrival of Aegis and his Goliath warriors that broke the world. Some even claim it was Neraeos who filled the oceans, worried the conflict on the land, could end up spilling into his domain. What is agreed upon is that some Divine action separated the world into the three continents.
It was not long before another plane of existence ended up opening into Eldridth. It is accepted by many that it was Gaia who did this, but others said that it was a direct cause of separating with Shadowfell. Either way, many different pathways opened up into the realms of the Fey, in their plane the Feywild. This is when the elves migrated in mass into our world, as well as many other creatures of the Fey. Finding your way between the two planes is much more difficult today, but for a period of almost 500 years it was fairly simple and easy.
For awhile some of the Gods would Dwell among the world, or visit. But when the Divine War against the Primordials was concluded, Pentharian ordered a new balance be taken with the material plane, and the Divine would no longer remain within the prime plane. From there it was a long period of adjustment, the world had many new races, animals. There are international conflicts, that sprung up, and many in the world deeply mistrust magic, fearing both the power, and potiential consequences from its use. Fire magic above all is frowned upon by many. Most cities and towns full out ban the use or practice of Fire magic, some going as far to ban all magic.
Most sentient races lived side by side as coworkers, neighbors, and friends, especially with the darkest races banished to the southern continent. That is until the Reavers pushed the Dwarves to the surface. The mass influx of refuges from the underside had greatly disrupted the status quo. It was not as though the Dwarves wanted to be on the surface, many of them even generations later are wary of the wide open spaces. Dwarves had long lived with comforts under ground that do not exist above. Created long ago by there ancestors, many of the ancient mechanisms that made life easier for them, were made so long ago, that none alive knew how to recreate them any more.
This brings us to the fairly close to current events, something is happening in the world, but it is difficult to put a finger on what is happening. The world seems to be moving forward as normal, but to the perceptive viewer, with the right perspective, one may see a dark presence growing in the world, and things are drifting in a new direction. What is the calamity preparing to befall the civilized nations of Aygess, and are they prepared to handle it?