Human
Faith and Fatherland
Those humans walk their streets with pride in each and every step with such an innate sense of importance. They are justified in this sense of superiority, of course. While we wallop in our sorrows and resentment and the alcheni wither into obscurity, mankind dominated the world with ruthless vigour.
History
Humans have always held all the power in the world, but their hunger for more of it can lead to acts of desperation and their inevitable corruption.The oldest written records written by humans date back to around 5000 BA, during the rise of the Empire of Le Zhea and their conquest of the continent. From what is known from those records, the ancient Zheans were able to conquer vast amounts of territory with the use of powerful weapons that seemed almost magical to those who opposed them. Such weapons were gained from a mysterious underground vault and those who had uncovered it took it as a sign from the heavens that they had a divine task of bringing unity to the world. Le Zhea, after a century and a half of relentless conquest, had unified all of mankind under their banner and their empire encompassed everything south of the Divide.
Inevitable Collapse
The victorious empire soon realised the futility of governing over such a vast amount of land. While they had access to tools recovered from the vault, which gave them ways to communicate over long distances with ease, those tools were wearing out and as the speed of information halted to a screeching stop, the fires of rebellion would ignite. It was at the Battle of the Alse where the chain of events that led to the collapse began. There, the rebels showed the world that freedom was possible and as that knowledge spread, more and more were up in arms against their overlords.The century of unity and the great rebellion that followed awoke a sense of ambition in men that has yet to extinguish. The world had become shattered with various tribes and petty kingdoms vying for power, but now there were those who sought to forge a great empire of their own. There must have been dozens, if not hundreds, of such rulers who aspired to reach such lofty goals, yet their names are forgotten, for all of them paled compared to the Invader.With the downfall of the united Lethean empire came a long age of wonder. According to countless cultures all across Lethea, many of the prominent figures in their mythology and history were said to have lived during this period. It was a time of stagnation and chaos. Borders between various warring tribes shifted regularly and ambitious rulers tried all they could to forge an empire of their own, but none made a realm that would last the test of time. There were, however, three individuals who left a stronger impact on mankind and the world itself than anyone else.
Aprēa
Born on the shores of Lake Clēqhuap, Aprēa was a compassionate girl who improved the lives of those around her, only to end up dead under suspicious circumstances. Her followers, although few in number, believed to have witnessed her ascension into the heavens to act as a divine for all of mankind.The Invader
The Invader of Lethea, a man who had come to rule of a cold and harsh kingdom in the northeast, made his mark on the world when he made a pact with an ancient enemy. Assisted by newly emerged swarms of aberati, he and his forces launched a brutal invasion against the free peoples of Lethea starting a centuries-long war.Hillen
Growing up as a devout follower of Aprēa in the midst of a devastating war, Gilei Hillen gave men the hope and fervour they needed to fight on in defense of their freedom and humanity. Hillen was eventually successful in his quest to end the war at the cost of his own life, but for his sacrifice, he was allowed to ascend beside Aprēa.
Start of the Explosion at Athe by Midjourney
Hillen's great sacrifice and ascention marked the end of an era. Larger realms would eventually begin to emerge, many of them following the teachings of Aprēa and Hillen. Those who chose to stick to their old beliefs soon found themselves at odds against the fastest growing and most influential faith in the world.For a while, the threat of the aberati remained a concern for most humans. Even if they had defeated them, they were unsure if there were more out there or what the possibilities for another invasion were. To ensure readiness in case of their return, the followers of Hillen who had founded Hillenēq Hūril and established the Alstiseriaic of Athe began construction of a series of beacons on the frontier of civilisation. If a watchman on one of those towers were to spot an invading army, they could light a fire which would be seen from other nearby beacons and such a chain of lights would alert much of the world to the danger. Another such measure against the aberati was the Inquisition of Athe, a military order of faithful hillenists. They were established with the goal of eradicating any land remnants of the aberati and all who had fallen to their corruption.
Emergence of the Great Powers
As centuries passed, several powerful realms came to dominate the political landscape of Lethea. The conflicts, tensions, and religious differences between them had claimed the spotlight and, in time, the threat of the aberati had been nearly forgotten. People were still aware of history and there were some who had heard stories of aberati cultists being hunted down, but some had grown skeptical of all of that. Had there been actual cultists conspiring with such a force of evil, or were those people just heretics or political opponents? Conflicts over border disputes and religious disagreements had replaced the caution once felt towards potential attacks that could pose a threat to all of mankind, yet as memories faded, the enemy reemerged in secret.
Lethean Artillery in Combat by Midjourney
Lost History
Warning, this section contains history that is completely unknown to the current day people of Lethea.
New Hope by Midjourney
Loss of Hope
Following three decades of bloodshed, the people of New Hope ousted their old government and decided to relocate, hoping to find a safer home. During this period, there were still humans living abroad the UNS Hope, which had been converted into a spherical space station that to this day orbits around the planet. The crew on the space station was in contact with both the Hopers and Emil and Epp’s people. It was their duty to provide firepower, supplies, and settlers to any group, no matter if they split off from the rest. All that mattered was mankind’s survival on this new world.Struggle for Riel
As humanity explored the new land and established new settlements, the native aberati continued to hunt with ruthless determination. A great struggle between mankind and the aberati had dawned upon the world, a struggle that has still not reached its end. Human will and technology eventually turned the tide of the endless war, but resources were limited and fears arose that the space station that they had relied on would one day run out of its own supplies. It is unclear when, but eventually, all of mankind coordinated a great attack against the enemy, an attack that would drain the last of their supplies and threaten their own survival as well. With hopes of being able to purge the land and make in safe forever, the forces of humanity went to war with zealous fervour and dreams of a new and prosperous future in their hearts and minds. The last of the available personnel still left on the UNS Hope landed on Riel to assist in the war, leaving only a handful of volunteers behind who would never be able to step foot on the new world.Birth of the Geprati
Either during the chaos of this period or perhaps sometime before, the alcheni and the panedur were created through the use of advanced human technology and a strange local source of power that the humans didn’t fully comprehend, the spirits. The alcheni were sent to explore other continents while the panedur were instrumental in clearing caves and other tight spaces from the aberati as that was the task they were designed to perform.The Final Push
After years of brutal fighting and ruthless extermination, the land appeared free of the menace that threatened man’s survival on Riel. With their task accomplished, the leaders of the various human groups agreed to go their own separate ways, but with the promise that if such an enemy were to return, they would once again all fight alongside one another. Eventually, contact with their orbital space station was lost and with no way of maintaining their gear, technology began to regress. With each passing generation, more and more was lost to the passage of time until the once spacefaring and gun-wielding earthlings were again forced to plough fields and attend to animals for survival. People forgot their origins. The tales of the struggle for Riel and their arrival on the planet had instead morphed into mythological stories that constantly changed so that newer generations could comprehend them. Now, only a few signs of humanity’s technological prowess remain hidden in long-lost vaults and strange bunkers throughout the continent.
Human Attack on an Aberati Hive by Midjourney
Human by Midjourney
Lifespan
65 - 80 years
Average Height
1.55 - 1.76 meters
Average Weight
58 - 86 kg
Aprēa of Setaik by Midjourney
Major Religions
Aprēaq Hūril, the belief in the Lady of the Lake, had dominated the spiritual landscape ever since the great explosion at Athe and the rise of Hillenism. Although the various sects of Aprēans are often at odds with one another, their common heritage has brought people closer and their widespread use of Aiterean as a common tongue is commonly used for trade and diplomacy even in non-Aprēan lands. The three main branches of the faith are Hillenism, Baglamism, and the old Orthodox Aprēanism.Many of the nomadic peoples living out in the central plains of Lethea put their faith in their own forefathers instead of distant divines. Ancestor veneration is also common among the Haltjans who not only believe in their forebears but also in various spirits of nature from who they harness mystical powers.
Despite constant pressure from Aprēan realms, the people of Vivernia have held true to their own Balicisian gods as well. They consider their faith a core aspect of their culture and thus refrain from spreading it around to foreigners who lack a connection to their deities.
Further west in the harsh sands of the Delerian wastes and the heat of the Rahigina, people have placed their faith in the moons. These Herçalians believe that Vol and Tiril, the two satellites orbiting Riel, are in fact living gods who watch down upon their subjects and protect them from harm. To them, the sun is a malevolent being that seeks to burn the world. Such beliefs often put the Herçalians in conflict against the sun-worshipping Ryelers who claim that their great god Re Yel will bring warmth and enlightenment to even the darkest corners of Lethea. It was the followers of this sun-god who founded the Empire of Le Zhea that would go on to subjugate all of mankind.
Hidden away both in the darkest corners of the continent as well as in the midst of civilisation, the agents of the aberati, their corrupted cultists serve to undermine mankind and hasten its destruction. Whether they’re actually willing participants in such vile plots or somehow controlled by the enemy, these servants do all in their power to obey their masters. The existence of them has caused a great deal of paranoia in society and with the Inquisition of Athe hunting them with ruthless vigour, there are many innocents who can end up getting caught in the crossfire.
In addition to all of those major religions, there is a plethora of minor regional ones and various heresies of the dominant faiths.
Ausselian Heavy Infantry by Midjourney
Realms of Men
In recent years, the realms of men have been quarrelling amongst one another with the largest and most influential of these, the Empire of Pallernen and the Federal State of Alinhas currently engaged in a cold war. Both of these countries have been swaying the various rulers of the Mettelagen and Talhenogh. The once great Aristocratic Republic of Rueken has found itself playing second fiddle to Alinhas, while Aussel, a breakaway province, now sides with the empire. As various small realms pledge their support to one or the other, the High Kingdom of Albis stands firm against all foreign influences and dreams of a third way.Over in the east, the young Kingdom of Enliten, a nation founded by dissidents and the persecuted, continues to settle the frontier, building their civilisation on the graves of their defeated panedur foes. The burgeoning realm must deal with threats within and beyond. With ambitious nobles conspiring to improve their position in court, vengeful raiders harassing the country's shores, and the ever-looming threat of an aberati attack to consider, Enliten has a long way to go before they can start meddling in the affairs of neighbouring states.
Following a disastrous war and the assassination of their king, the Kingdom of Sarala lies splintered. Without a clear successor to the throne, various local rulers broke off from the kingdom, leaving the once mighty and proud realm only with the core heartlands that surrounded the capital. Now those who were once friends and neighbours fight one another in what seems like a futile attempt to unite the land and restore peace.
OMG LETHEA IS POST APOC RESTART SCI FI!!! I AM SO IN LOVE RIGHT NOW!
World Anvil Founder & Chief Grease Monkey
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