Antecedents

The ancient ancestors of modern humanity, and founders of magic — for better or for worse.

It has ever been one of my greatest labors, to understand them, to learn the secrets of our ancient ancestors.
What caused their fall? What brought humanity from a Golden Age of Magic, to the very pits of the deepest dark, and from the dark to the world we live in now?
I only fear that, in our lack of understanding, we shall one day repeat their mistakes and face the very same plight.

— Anxious Nimai Scholar

The Antecedents are the people of Malkora's ancient history, predecessors to all forms of humanity in the present day.

Ancestors of all who now live in Malkora, these magically-inclined people lived in an era preceeding the Nameless Age, and left behind almost nothing to tell their story in the present day.

A People Long Gone

Little is known about the Antecedents and their lives, their cultures, the things which defined them as a people. Historians throughout Malkora have compiled scattered and spotty records detailing the daily lives of the Antecedents, their achievements, their cities, and more, but no information is more certain than this:
The Antecedents brought upon the Nameless Age.

The Golden Age of Magic

Magic is a constant presence in the world of Malkora, a resource ever-available, though not all who walk the realm are capable of manipulating it themselves.
This was different, however, in the age of the Antecedents. Humanity as a whole once commanded magic as though it flowed freely through its veins — at least, this is what the stories say.

Restored Map of the Empire of Aether by Strixxline

Empire of Aether

Ancient texts speak of an empire of the Antecedents which spanned thousands of years, from the Golden Age of Magic to the coming of the Nameless Age. This empire, known as the Empire of Aether, was believed to have dominion in all lands of the continent now known as Nefyran.

Maps of this empire have been found in various conditions, albeit in ranges from scarcely legible to wholly indecipherable. The only names which have been successfully pulled from these ancient maps are, "Yulrorim," and "Arda."

The Ancient Yulrori

Though the lands of Yulrorim now exist as wastelands drained of all magical influence, historical records lead historians to believe that Yulrorim was once the jewel of the Empire of Aether. Described in ancient epics and accounts as a bastion of immense power and home to a diverse and highly ambitious populace, Yulrorim was believed to be the pinnacle of magical development in the Golden Age of Magic.
Knowing this, it is a harsh contrast to see Yulrorim now as this harrowing barrens few dare tread, devoid of all magic and eager to consume what little has the misfortune of finding its way within. To venture through it spells certain death — or worse — for almost any wayward leyborne traveler.

The fall of the Yulrori is said to have been the catalyst for the coming of the Nameless Era, though this claim is based only in theory and speculation, citing myths and legends such as that of the Font of Oblivion.

---

Font of Oblivion by Strixxline via Midjourney

---

Arda and its Successors

The similarities between the names of the ancient "Arda" and more recent "Arsaces" were not ones to be lost on historians, especially given that the Monarchy had laid its roots in the very same land as this ancient Antecedent society.
Ever boasting a storied history, the Arsaces Monarchy and its kingdom within Terramarre rose from the ashes of the Nameless Age as one of the first kingdoms to regain societal stability in the Age of the Seekers.
It is known that the Arsaces line remained unbroken and in power since the dawn of the new age and through to its relatively recent end, but tracing the lineage into the Nameless Age has proven largely fruitless.

Given the existence of large, present-day kingdoms in lands once occupied by the Antecedents, historians are eager to find connections between them and the past, if they exist.

Historians have ever strived to extract crucial lessons from the fall of ancient civilizations

by Strixxline via Midjourney

Interactive Chronicle & Maps

^{(Historian's Chronicle of Ancient Eras)}

Type

Ancient Civilization

Known Societies

Empire of Aether
Yulrorim
Arda

---

Records Lost to Time

Few if any records have survived which detail the lives and societies of the Antecedents, and historians are ever plagued by the task of picking apart fact from fiction in what documents they manage to find.
The only knowledge seen as certain, in regards to the Antecedents and their culture, is that they lived as one united empire until the Nameless Age brought about their extinction. Records detailing daily life before the onset of the Nameless Age paint the Antecedents as lovers of extravagance, with no mind for debt and expense, perhaps indicating that such notions did not exist within their societies.

---

Prize of the Umbralists by Strixxline via Midjourney

Remnants of the Past

Those which yet reside within the cursed lands of Yulrorim, namely the umbralin, are believed to be the key to understanding the fall of the Antecedents.
None have found success in such endeavors as traveling to the heart of Yulrorim for answers, or discussing the shadowed past of Yulrorim with its inhabitants which have, historically, been less than hospitable.
The activities of Yulrori organizations including the Umbralists inspire great fear in those who know of them, believing that their goals will bring about another Nameless Age if left unchecked.

---

Ancient Aurel Cathedral by Strixxline via Midjourney

Relics of Arda

Terramarre itself is a land steeped with history, of battlefields, ruins, and relics of the past, which archaeologists have ever yearned to explore and study, hoping to gain better understanding of the events of the Nameless Era.
They were never given the chance to do so, however, as governing bodies of the kingdom throughout history had ever banned the practice.
This restriction only grew more strict as the Alabaster Hand overtook the Arsaces Monarchy as the rulers of the kingdom.

---