A Secret History

As recorded and recounted by the Boorka scholars of Sage, council of the curiosity.
It should be noted that this account is not considered wholly factual by the crown of Wyeth and its vassal states.

The Origin of the Gods

It is widely believed that the original intelligent inhabitants of our world consisted of but two species, the Humans and the Vess'ka (though it is possible that the Vess'ka also includes the Thri-Kreen).
These species are believed to have originated upon Gothenya through means primarily natural, and not of divine intervention. As far as any divinity is concerned, it is suspected that the humans of this era worshipped the personified spirits of nature. The earth. The wind. The water. Things of that nature. We believe this because records courtesy of the vess'ka imply as much. And seeing as the vess'ka to this day worship none but the spirits of nature, it seems to follow that the first humans would have clung to similar beliefs.
Fossil records indicate that the two species fought amongst themselves for territory, however only the humans featured the tendency to also fight amongst their own kind. This battle for land supremacy continued unabated for untold years. In fact, we currently do not have the ability to determine exactly when either of the two progenitor species rose from the sea of creation, and if there was indeed any outer divine force that had any hand in their upbringing. It is certain, however, that the beings commonly referred to as "The Gods," "The Pantheon," or even "The Zenithal" had no hand in the matter, for reasons that they had yet to arrive upon the scene.
Roughly 200,000 years ago, and for reasons still unknown, the gods made their presence known in a most dramatic manner. Their ancestral home, the holy mountain known as Mount Celene, suddenly appeared in the heavens, descending towards the world. It's landing, a cataclysmic event that disrupted the landscape (and formed the mountain range known as The Blight), occurred in the northern region of Hariel Majour.
From where the gods came, and of what origin, is one of the great (if not the greatest) mysteries of our current era, the study of which many, including The Custodians have fervently pursued.

The Age of Titans

For time unknown, the holy mountain stood silent at the edge of the (then) known world. Finally, somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 years ago, the first celestial visitors stepped forth from its interior. These sentries were known as the titans, and they consisted of both giantkin and dragonkin. These great creatures spread across the lands, even beyond the known world, sizing it up for their divine masters.
So long was their adventure into our lands that the titans formed their own communities, building some of the first architectural monuments and settlements of any modernity (as compared to the primitive efforts of both man and vess'ka). Along with these settlements (including the first known cities of any size), the titans also employed humans as labor and servants. These humans were little more than slaves, and were completely under the binding thrall of their powerful masters.
It should be noted that by this time, the vess'ka had retreated into the darkness of the world beneath the surface of our own, creating the first subterranean settlements known to anyone then or now. Perhaps they shared some form of prescience amongst themselves. In any case, they managed to flee from the light in time to avoid indentured servitude at the hands of the titans.
Soon, all racial infighting between the clans of men became completely moot, as they were transformed by their new assignments to please the titans. Thus, they even had a hand in building the various and mighty outposts of their masters, and its this knowledge of craft that would prove to be the first "gift" of the gods unto man.
The Age of Titans lasted for approximately thirty thousand years, with both giant and dragon becoming fat and complacent upon the labor of humans. They never returned to Celene to report their findings or to commune with their own masters. For all accounts, they simply went native.
This period of titanic rule was soon to be challenged, however, as the great creatures soon invoked the wrath of the gods themselves...

The Age of Avatars, aka The Divine Apotheosis

The gods did not travel to Gothenya without servants of their own. Beyond the titans, the pantheon also held within Celene the majority of the "servitor races" known today as the elves, the goblinoids, and the gnomish small folk (who eventually developed into halflings and dwarves, as well as the original gnomes). Mount Celene set forth these servitors in order to assess the situation throughout the realm. Emissaries were sent, mostly in the form of the Solti elves, to treat with the titans, giving both giant and dragon the opportunity to explain their careless ways. These emissaries were, to a man, destroyed. The titans felt they had grown too powerful, and no longer were content with servitude. Their numbers had grown as well, and they were indeed masters of all they surveyed.
The gods knew that their faithful servants (in the form of the various humanoid races) could not alone stand against the titans. Instead they were tasked with infiltrating the ranks of the human slaves, in order to seed discontent and a desire for rebellion. But even this would not be enough to turn the tide of the battle to come. For that, the gods would have to leave their holy halls and meet their prodigal creations face to face.
Thus, the mortal (albeit infinitely powerful) incarnations of the gods left Celene for the first time since their arrival. The set out to make themselves known to man. Now, the seeds had already been planted, as the elves and goblins had already informed man of the existence of the benevolent gods, gods who only sought to see them free, and as such when the celestial avatars arrived in the flesh, man quickly cast their lot in with them.
Together, the combined forces of human, humanoids and the very gods themselves marched across the world, facing the titans wherever they found them. Though mighty, neither giant nor dragon stood a chance against this organized assault. None know precisely how long the ensuing battles were fought, however the outcome is most certain. Any titan that did not perish at the scene (and none were afforded the opportunity to surrender) fled towards lands most inhospitable to man (or god). To The Ultima Thule, and similar regions, they retreated. And the gods did not follow. To lightless caverns of The Underdark did they also flee. And again, the gods did not follow.
When the dust settled, there were essentially no titans left in the territories of man. None in the lands of Hariel Majour, Hariel Minuta, or even Golthien. The gods, able to telepathically commune with their former servants, sent a clear message. The few remaining titans (and there were very few remaining) would be granted clemency, but were they to step foot upon the civilized lands once more, they would be wiped from the face of the world in total.

The Age of Lumeria

No sooner had the titans been cast out from the lands, than the gods set about forming a true alliance with man. The elves, goblins and gnomes were granted lands of their own across the known world. And in turn, they helped teach man of their ways, enabling them to produce a civilization of their own. The elves also brought the teachings of the gods, and with these they converted the first devout worshippers, dedicated to the gods of Celene.
This era would be later known as the Lumerian Age (40,000 years past), however it is unfortunately no longer well documented, due to events shortly to be recounted. It is known that for many centuries (if not millennia), peace and prosperity, on a scale that had never existed before and shall never be seen again, ruled the land. The first free cities were born, ruled by both men and the servitor races (created by the gods and known collectively as the Vu'un) alike, the largest and most prosperous of which was the city-state (soon to be nation) of Methanok.
Methanok thrived under the guidance of the gods, with each successive king allegedly hand-picked by, or having the divine favor of, the six greater gods. In fact, this is the first period where evidence suggests that the concept of the Zenithal, and with it the entire hierarchy of the gods, was suggested and disseminated amongst those humans devoted to the gods. And in this era, essentially every human swore allegiance to the new pantheon.
This period also featured the largest religious exodus heretofore known, with those previously (allegedly) devout to the primordial spirits of nature, abandoning those in favor of the new pantheon hailing from the holy mountain. We cannot be certain whether or not the prevailing religion adhered to the tenets of the modern Zenithal, or if any one god took precedence over others. It is only believed, through the scattered remnants of art from the era, that man was at least made aware of some sort of celestial pecking order.
The hard-won peace of the era was sadly short-lived, and less than four centuries after it came into being, the nation of Methanok began conquering its neighbors, under the guise of religious indoctrination. The successive Methanoki kings began with the taking of lands strictly belonging to barbarians and infidels not already under sway of the Lords of Celene. This proved not to be enough, and less than a century after this holy crusade began, Methanok turned its eyes towards its allied neighbors. Motivated by naked greed, Methanok soon dropped even the pretense of religious expansion, taking lands from those who served their same pantheon.
Not long after, the final transformation took hold.
The Methanoki kings, once said to be "chosen" by the gods, now declared their direct descent from powerful celestial bloodlines. They then demanded to be known as God Kings, and shortly after that God Emperors. It seemed as if their expansion would continue unchecked, with the successive God Emperors each demanding worship from their subjects, in pure affront to the gods. Eventually, the pantheon responded.
The final God Emperor was Razen Diatrasi, a man who fully believed in his own divinity and power, even over that of the actual gods of Celene. He went so far as to have the holy temples to Celene toppled, in favor of those dedicated to his own honor.When word of his sacrilege reached Celene, the gods came back down to personally answer. Diatrasi had been expecting this; actually hoping for it, in fact. It provided him the opportunity to prove his station. And indeed, on the very day the avatars of several gods entered the Imperial capitol of Methanok, he was handed what he so desired.
A swift rebuke to the gods brought down their wrath upon his head, but Diatrasi had expected this. The gods had underestimated their human subjects. They handed them just enough arcane knowledge... but not enough to pose a threat. Or so they thought. The emperors were far more resourceful than the gods could have ever anticipated. They discovered the font of magic, the Eret Si'Nu, Vapor form, and harnessed it as a weapon (and defense) against their holy masters.
Indeed, that day, within the halls of the emperor, Diatrasi did not die by divine hands. But, in turn, it was one of the Lords of Celene that finally fell. After a brief battle, Diatrasi slew the god known as Pyruss, and in that moment proved the mortality of the gods. The charismatic emperor rallied his subjects and soon the gods were forced to flee, lest they too suffer the fate of Pyruss.
They fled with all speed back to Celene, where they sealed themselves off from the world. But they did not return home simply to cower from their mortal subjects. No, the Lords of Celene soon had their revenge.
Just over thirteen thousand years ago, the first of the plagues was released upon the lands. This was their divine retribution, their punishment against all those who stood against them. As surprised as the gods were by the ingenuity of humans, the humans in turn were shocked by the totality of what was dropped upon them. We only have circumstantial evidence regarding the plagues that eventually decimated the Methanok Empire, as well as the free lands surrounding it. We know that it took several of these plagues to entirely eradicate the power centers of the empire, but the exact number is lost to time. What can be said with some certainty is that the plagues came in quick succession, and with a merciless force that did not differentiate between man, woman or child.
Methanok was leveled, its cities toppled, its people destroyed. The human race was brought to near extinction by a cataclysmic event that scoured the entire world. Even Golthien, which at this time was still lawless, and not under the thumb of the empire, suffered as the west surely did. In the end, but a fraction of humanity made it through the plagues intact. This fraction would be tasked with picking up the pieces and starting over again.

The Age of Destiny

Roughly 13,000 years ago, the last remnants of the plague were washed from the various shores of Gothenya. Less than ten percent of the world's human population remained. The plague only affected humans, and now their once plentiful numbers were not much greater than that of the vu'un. The gods, however, did show some mercy at this point. They tasked their servitors, the vu'un, to help restore humanity to some semblance of civilization. In the west, a new and devout culture was born. One fully devoted to the gods, and specifically the Zenithal. This time the lords of this new kingdom were indeed "hand picked" by "The Six" (The Zenithal), and were well aware of their station. Their ambitions did not exceed the mortal world.
In fact, the peoples of the west were so entranced by the forgiveness and generosity of the gods that they erected a multitude of churches in their honor. And beyond that (around 6,000 years ago), they thusly began the first of many grand pilgrimages to Mount Celene, all for the glory of the gods. These pilgrimages became a massive source of industry and settlement, with pilgrims repopulating the northlands of Hariel Majour, in order to be closer to the holy mountain. Humans have always been the most fruitful of the races, and soon the north (along with the entirety of the west) returned to numbers not seen for thousands of years. This time, all devoted to the proper gods.
Then, after ten thousand years of rebuilding and repopulating, in which time several nascent kingdoms rose and fell (but never challenged the gods), finally one nation came about that would stand the test of time. That nation, that kingdom, was Wyeth.
Although man would never again challenge the sovereignty of the heavens, the same could not be said about each other. Almost as soon as the Kingdom of Wyeth asserted its hold on a good portion of the west (under the leadership of the first king, Markhan Wyeth), it was challenged by the upstart Monarchy of Nerithar (which comprised the lands now known as the Sunlit Vale). "The War for the West" soon followed in 1200 D.E.
The war lasted nearly one hundred years, with major losses on both sides. The capitol of Wyeth, Aranost, was destroyed and King Marlhan was nearly killed. However, after a daring battle (initiated by the desperate Wyeth) and decisive victory on the fields of Lygold (the present day Freemantle), the Monarchy of Nerithar sued for peace, which Wyeth granted. In return, the lands of Nerithar were divided into free territories, many of which eventually became vassals of the crown.
This would prove to be the final large-scale war until the fateful events of 1,600 years ago...

The Sundering

We all know the story of the cataclysmic event that changed the very nature of man's relationship to the gods. The Sundering was the direct result of arcane mages fighting for control of the holy mountain, while the devout clerics of the Zenithal attempted to defend it.
Ever since humanity discovered that Mount Celene was a font of arcane energy (the Eret Si'nu), it became the ultimate prize for those with high magical ambitions. It is widely accepted that all magic is sourced from the holy mountain, that it released the energy source, the Eret Si'Nu, into the atmosphere, the very air we breathe. But for many this was not enough. They sought arcane energy in the pure form. They wished to drink from the very font itself. Thus the most eventful battle in Gothenya's history took place. And in its wake, we lost the gods, perhaps for good.

The Age of Will

1,400 years ago, and less than 200 years after the Sundering, civilization entered The Age of Will. It took nearly that long for people to fully realize what had happened. It didn't help that the church of The Zenithal set about a disinformation campaign in an attempt to maintain their power in the west. For since its formation, the Kingdom of Wyeth was ruled by both a king and a cardinal, with power divided nearly evenly. But with the gods now lost to man, as was the result of the epic explosion that both marked and ended The Sundering, the church no longer held any sway over a god-fearing nation. The Faith Zenithal knew this, and attempted to hide the truth for as long as possible.
Eventually, the crown discovered the cover up and decided to punish the church for its deception by dividing it from the nation (at least politically). The church still had followers beyond number, so the kingdom allowed the institution to remain. It was just divested of its power over the people. The newly built capitol of Markhan (replacing Aranost), tellingly did not feature a temple to the Zenithal. That was left to Angleport, where the cardinal fled after the judgement of the king.
Since then, the church has had a strange and strained relationship with the primary kingdom of the west. Many of its churches and monasteries have been defiled by those angry at the priests they blame for precipitating a holy war that desecrated Mount Celene and either killed, hurt or simply angered the gods enough to break off contact.
It didn't take long for people to forget a time when the gods directly influenced the world of man. Some began to even believe that they never really existed at all. That they were simply created to help control the masses, keeping the crown peoples in line. Of course, this was hotly contested by the church, with some (hundreds of years after the gods fell silent) even stating that they were privy to messages from the gods. That the divinities spoke to them in their dreams, as they once had before the Sundering. Others proclaimed that the gods indeed communicated again through the dreams of man, but that now their messages were somehow corrupted... garbled.
Perhaps the gods did reach out once again to their subjects. It is telling that the first of these claims of divine contact didn't occur until well after the magical purges that sent the blood mages (and indeed mages of all varieties) away from the west, in response for their part in the Sundering. Maybe now the gods were beginning to forgive their worshippers. Maybe this punishment of both the church and the arcanists was enough to bring them back. Or perhaps it's all just another lie told by the desperate priests of a nation that has cast them out for heresy, the fabrication of the very word of the gods...