Pre Race War Era
Avendale’s Founding
rough 1:
Once a man who championed Pelor, his might as a hero eventually rallied a small army against a tyrannical dragon of the North known as Ashblight in the year 1321 B.W. Plebuis was known as Pelor’s shield and shielded the armies as much as he could while they chipped away at its health. In a last ditch effort to fight back, Ashblight absorbed the life energy of the land and the people, killing all those in the army who stood against him. He took that energy and used it against Plebuis who managed to turn it back onto the dragon, killing it. At least Plebuis believed Ashblight to be dead. Instead the power returned was so strong it tore a rift into the Fey Wilds which sucked the dragon in. It is thought that Ashblight became the mount of the Winter Queen of the Wilds but there is no evidence of this. Plebuis then gave up his own life energy to reinvigorate the land and bring back those that Ashblight had felled. The land was saved but at the cost of his life. His bones were collected and set up as a reliquary in a small church of Pelor which later became the small city of Avendale as civilization grew up around it from people coming to pay tribute to the feet of Plebuis. Avendale was officially founded i 1238 B.W.
rough 2:
Avendale and many parts of the mid-Northern continent were once uninhabitable by living creatures because of the terrorizing conditions brought to the land by an ancient void dragon by the name of Ashblight. His personal fight against all things living was legendary and had he not been so territorial he held the potential to wipe out all life on the Northern continent. Many believe that he would have only stayed to the north to avoid the fury of the Mountain Eater who guards over the Rift. The areas he did call home, he drained of all living essence pulling any energy from it and leaving nothing more than a desiccated husk of a remnant. Many feared his hatred would eventually lead him away from his home to destroy more but one brave knight refused to be guided by fear and instead set out to make a statement to Ashblight that he would not be shaken. This knight was Plebuis Ardoni and left his home among the tribes of the early forming city-states of the North to find his way to the very heart of Ashblight’s domain.
Plebuis’s journey was hard and fraught with odds deemed insurmountable as the land was plagued by the undead remnants that rose from the damage laid upon the land. Eventually he found his way to what he thought was the center of the land. It was here that he began crafting a humble temple to Pelor. He chose this less for religious worship and more of a symbol of a piercing light amidst the overwhelming darkness that covered the world. Pelor was impressed with his devotion to what he believed was a noble cause and visited him one night. He warned him of the coming danger that meeting with Ashblight would bring and bestowed on him a gift that would protect him from the power that would be used against him. He gave him a shield with a flawless reflective surface that held within it the power of Gods. It could deflect or render useless the most powerful magical effect without the user breaking a sweat. He warned that the effects of this creation were hazardous to mortals and using it even a single time would drain years off of a creature’s lifespan. Plebuis accepted the gift graciously and promised only to use it only if the situation looked un-winnable by any other measure.
Plebuis spent the rest of the night readying himself for the coming storm. He did not have to wait long as the flicker of early daylight was preceded by the loud, leathery flaps of wings moving over the horizon. The raging screech ushering from Ashblight was said to be heard as far south as what would one day become Fyr’s Shadow though this cannot be accepted with any certainty. As sunlight breached the landscape it was met by the fierce battle of the vicious beast and the determined knight. Had Plebuis not had a mental penchant for combat he would have met his fate as quick as any other but he had trained long for this meet. Using the environment to his advantage, he slowly chipped away at his prey in a deadly game of cat and mouse. As the fight raged on, Ashblight’s temperament became more savage to the point where he no longer had use of his mental facility and no longer restrained himself. He razed the land destroying everything in his path with bolt of pure energy.
Should this bolt reach Plebuis, which only hundreds of feet separated him from it, he knew it would destroy him. He also knew, with the forest he was using for cover destroyed, he could no longer continue his tactful war on Ashblight so pulled out the shield and readied himself to use it. He knew his plan couldn’t fail. If it did he may not get another chance to try again and if he did have to try more than once he would be aging rapidly to the point where he would no longer be able to battle. He jumped from his cover ready to meet the dragon head on. In Ashblight’s rage he did not notice what was taking place and immediately began his onslaught by releasing his most powerful attack he could directly at the knight. It was at this point Plebuis activated the shield taking the power that had been targeted on him and in returning it. The searing blast was doubled in strength obliterating Ashblight. The massive amount of energy also burned deep into Oranth taking a large amount of the surrounding land and dissolving it into nothing. Ashblight, the terror that had ruled over the mid-continent for over 1000 years had been destroyed. It was he who had shaped the history and culture of the world dividing the Dwarves into two separately evolving groups, he who had seared the Clafash River into the bedrock, he who had threatened to desolate the half the world, and now he was gone and Plebuis bore the mark of his triumph by aging 30 years in the process. He had gone from a middle-aged man well within his mid 50’s to the dim setting light of life in a moment. Still, the year was 1321 B.W. and it was the first time the Northern continent was free of tyranny and for that he felt he could rest.
The lack of Ashblight’s presence was immediately felt in the world as life began to creep back into once cursed earth. Creatures began to move back into the center of the continent hoping to reclaim it over the course of several years. During this time the legend of Plebuis began to grow as nobody had figured out what happened to him after going to meet with the dragon. It wasn’t for another 20 years after the battle, 1298 B.W. precisely, that the temple of Pelor was found with a journal denoting what had transpired there. A small garden had been overgrown for many years beside the temple and part of it threatened to swallow the structure. As workers cut back the vines they found the remains of Plebuis half buried in the garden. His bones were gathered and set into a reliquary inside the temple. He was given the status of sainthood by the official church of Pelor for his deeds in ridding the land of such a vile creature and creatures began making pilgrimage to this small temple to leave offerings at his feet in hopes that he would hear their pleas and take them to the ear of Pelor for them. Over time a mix of people coming to worship and roving bands of warriors began to settle in the region and Avendale was founded as a small village in the year 1238 B.W.
The Fey Wild Creatures
rough 1:
Probably around 1211 B.W. When the veil between the material realm and the Fey Wilds was torn open Ashblight was tossed in but something else came out. This is a band of creatures that resided in that realm and have now made their home in this realm. They captured people and did horrid things to them. Some of them impregnated humans out of the sheer amusement hoping to see what monstrosities would be birthed. These humans bore offspring which took on fearful twisted traits of fey characteristics. They were scorned by mankind who were already fearful of the Fey for what they would do. The people, led by Maro Enoka’s father, attacked them hoping to kill them and found them near where the rift to the Fey Wilds was. They did not stop with the Children of the Wilds but instead breached the realm and began their onslaught of the Fey in the Fey Wilds. They managed to push the original Fey Creatures back into their realm but they were not ready for what they found there and were quickly slaughtered. In order to protect both realms, the Children that remained took the fabric of the tethering the tear to its place and used it to move the portal to the lands north of Avendale. The children became a nomadic tribe and exist in the region to this day protecting the entrance to this rift.
rough 2:
When Plebuis landed the final blow upon Ashblight the amount of power that landed didn’t just destroy the land, it tore the fabric of reality creating a rift into the Fey Wilds. Many believe the dragon wasn’t actually destroyed by this power but was instead thrown into this realm but there is no evidence of this. What is evident is that the opening drew the attention to ancient Fey creatures who were interested in the new land that was now opened to them. Their presence wasn’t noticed immediately and they stayed hidden for a few decades after they moved through the rift allowing them to do reconnaissance of the material realm. What drew their attention more than anything in this realm were the humans that were newly coming to the region. They viewed these creatures as nothing more than toys to play and experiment with. These creatures also took delight in sheer torture of mankind seeing how far they could push them before killing them. Death was a new idea to these creatures as, after they came into contact with the humans they claimed to be immortal. Eventually these creatures found they could manipulate the very makeup of the humans wandering the land and began mixing their essence in with the children still in the womb. They were interested in seeing what would become of these children after being birthed with these mixed features. These creatures were monstrous and twisted versions of mankind. They brought fear to all who had began to settle in the area and it was this very public manipulation that brought the warriors of the region together to begin fighting back in the year 1211 B.W.
The warriors, led by Paulo Enoka, began to scour the lands searching for where these creatures were hiding out. They spoke with any who claimed to have interaction with these creatures and over the course of a few months managed to track down where they believed these creatures to be hiding, on a small island in the middle of the newly formed lake just north of Avendale. Paulo was not certain who these creatures were or how many were waiting for them when they got there. Because of this he ordered the warrior clans to approach with caution and stealth in hopes of surprising these creatures. When they got close enough to find these creatures, they found them mixing the waters of the lake with arcane magics. They had also found the fissure that connected the two realms together resting at the center of the creatures’ camp. It was decided they would try to push these creatures back to their realm and seal the rift after they were all in. After quick plans were drawn up the group attacked and began their onslaught. Paulo and the other warrior clans were matched blow for blow and many were felled by these ancient creatures but what they lacked in power they made up for in number.
The battle raged at the entrance of the gate for hours with men being felled from the intense battle or dropping from exhaustion but their goals were coming to fruition as they began pushing the creatures back into the rift one at a time. After they were pushed in several began guarding the entrance to make certain they couldn’t come back through with reinforcements. When the last one was pushed through the groups began searching for a way to close the gateway but they came up without any idea on how. Instead Paulo decided that he would breach their world and instead continue the onslaught. Men and women both emboldened from their victory in pushing the creatures through took up with him and charged through. This became their last stand as the realm they entered was foreign and filled with many more of these creatures. Only a handful came back speaking of horrors and atrocities the likes of which they had never seen before. They refused to go back into the rift to find a way to close it but it was decided that there needed to be a guard that would make certain to keep anything from coming back through. An elite guard was created that were specifically trained to from a young age to deal with any threat that may present itself. After his father fell in the Fey Wilds, a young Maro Enoka volunteered to be one of the first trained to do the job. He excelled at training and fighting, protecting the entrance for decades until he was called away by the Elven nations to the south to deal with the Orcs of the All-Tribe.
The Children of the Fey
The children were being created from the arcane magic in the water but it was discovered too late to stop a slew of children from being created. These twisted people were usually put to death immediately but there was a woman who birthed one and chose instead to harbor it out in the forests. She then became a mid-wife and would steal the creatures away instead of killing them eventually putting together a small refuge. They were found out and just wanted to be left alone so they were going to try and move into the Fey Wilds. Had to trick the guard. Ended up using magic but something went wrong and instead of getting through the portal it caused the portal to exploded forcing both realms to begin vibrating on top of each other so now the Fey Wilds and Material Realm occasionally go in and out of each other. This caused the children to begin existing between the two. Many think they are still out there.
The Mad Smith
846 B.W. For what I’m doing there was once a hero with a great relic. I’m wanting to go with a mad blacksmith kind of thing where he devoted his life to creating this great item (Don’t know what it is yet). One day he declared it to be finished but a simple child points out one small flaw with the item. His sanity slipping, he becomes enraged and in front of the entire town slays the child with the item. The townsfolk immediately turn on him but in his rage he kills several of them. It’s only when he become exhausted that he actually notices what he’s done.
He then goes into a self imposed form of exile as there really isn’t a creature there that can do it with their own will. I’d like for him to disappear into the tribe that has the connection to the Fey Wild. Perhaps he was one that was fighting his nature and was welcomed in the realm.
Maybe, if time flows differently in the kingdom, he was there at the event that caused it to become ethereal. Perhaps he even managed to eventually control his rage while yielding the item and became an alley during the fight with the winter queen.
Perhaps his item was part of what powered the magic that pushed her out and it released such a large amount of `rage` energy that it ate away the mortal form.
Could use that as a cautionary “Don’t over do it or you’ll find your self in the same shape” kind of thing.
He could even be the final boss of the Anarya section where the whimsical magics of the Fey Wilds used his rage to warp his body into some form of twisted monster.
Post Race War Era
The First Emperor
in 4 I.B. Donovahn Needham of Avendale was elected the first Emperor of the United Realms.
Original Northern Kingdom
The north wasn’t always a solidified kingdom, but rather a group of large city-states. The rulers of each of these city-states formed a council and the head of that council sat in Avendale. When Donovahn Needham was elected, this seat of power became more sought after. It got to the point where men no longer came to Avendale for governed council of issues of the Norther Realms but instead came to arms amongst each city-state to prove who had the right to rule. Oranthos stepped in when it was noticed that this infighting was only going to turn to full out war that would eventually tear the fledgling United Realms apart. They held a festival in which all Northern heads were to come to Oranthos and discuss peacefully under the eye of the Guard of Order’s Reach who would take the mantle of leadership. This was not as peaceful as was hoped for and two leading members ended up dead during this event, one from poison and one from a vicious murder that was blamed on street urchins. A family of urchins were put to death for this crime though no evidence was ever found. There is a monument that marks their graves and many scholars believe this was covered up to stop growing frustrations. After 3 months of debate, a leader was finally chosen to sit at the high seat of the council of Avendale. The ruler was not an Avendale native and brought his family and culture there. After settling his first order was to dissolve the council completely and set himself up as first king of the North. With his many daughters and riches he held, he managed to garner enough ties between the city-states to bring them completely into his fold eventually solidifying the realm within his lifetime. All this happened between the years of 118 I.B. and 172 I.B.
The Great Slaver Exodus of 829 I.B.
With slavery being abolished in the South at the guiding hand of Obad-Hai in Kyaht, many rich individuals who refused to give up their ‘livestock’ instead chose to move to the North. This brought with it a huge influx of monetary wealth and skill. Eventually it took up too much land and expansions were needed in multiple kingdoms, Avendale was no exception. The old city walls were torn down and pushed out to make way for the large masses of families that moved to the region because of the fertile land. Until this time Avendale was a small city but it grew quickly and by the year 842 I.B. the city had doubled in size bringing with it a great mix of culture.
The Coming of Mhatte S’une
In the year 1104 I.B. an uprising of uncivilized creatures drew the attention of a band of adventurers from the town. These creatures claimed to be searching to find the lost prophet of Mhatte S’une. Eventually they found what they were looking for though they were slowed by the intervention of the group of adventurers. Once they found what they were looking for the power of the coming creature warped the land creating the Butte Mountain range for whom the adventurers named. It also cut off trade routes to the Northern capital city of Dominar which also suffered sever damage. The adventurers managed to take down the creature before it managed to break through one of which claimed to have devoured the heart of the creature. Her daughter now exhibits signs of draconic power which is drawing concerns from those living in the city.