History of the Multiverse

The history of Naradun, and everything before it, even! Will be updated whenever we finish a new piece of history. :O

30 000 years Before the Apocalypse - The Creation of the Prime Gods

Nothing existed in the ancient times before the world. Some dare say time itself did not exist before the coming of chaos. Into nothing, something materialized. Pure chaos was the matter which formed the first force that would ever be witnessed by the cosmos. No one knows where this matter came from, or if it even came from anywhere. The most likely scenario would be that from nothing, chaos was created. It came from nowhere.

Chaos eventually took shape, explosions and random movement eventually stabilizing, a sense of order appearing in the multiverse. Shapes were made, and from these shapes the prime Gods emerged. Four they were in number, and as their first course of action, these almighty creatures named themselves.

Llaron, the kind, the honest, the just. He created light, and from light sprung many wonders of purity and beauty the other gods marveled at. From his creation, the light, he created his own kingdom, and named it Kalymenos, Light's Dominion. He created sentient beings from the light as well, creatures of extraordinary grace and divine power. He named them angels, and they were to be his loyal people, chosen to carry out his every whim. They were created by purity and love, and knew nothing of evil, jealousy or hatred. Llaron's bright kingdom was perfect in every way, everything existing in tranquil harmony and peace.

Theki, the cold, the merciless,wicked and cruel, was Llaron's evil twin. She was in many ways like Llaron, iron-willed, powerful and ambitious. However, her wish was not to co-exist in harmony with her siblings, living blissfully in eternal harmony. She wished to rule, to be above all others and have ultimate power. She despised her brother Llaron for his weakness, leveling himself with his servants and walking among them as though they were his kin.

Theki used the darkness around her, the eternal blackness which was there to begin with, to forge a kingdom of her own. Her domain however, was a place of twisted nightmares and darkness eternal. From the darkness sprung demons, born from her greed, ambition and malice. They were the direct opposites of Llaron's divine angels, existing only to serve Theki and her cruel intentions. They brought suffering to one another and themselves, all to the amusement of their cruel mistress. Theki was content with her own kingdom, ruling the demons with an iron fist, letting them live or die on her whim. She named her kingdom Khagomenos, Darkness' Dominion, mostly to upset her kind-hearted brother. Llaron and Theki despised one another, but they both were content with what they had, a kingdom of their own, to use as they wished.

Gai-Tentotu, the calm, the understanding and the serene, was neither good nor evil. She merely sought understanding, wisdom and learning from everything around her, and the knowledge she would keep to herself. She observed her siblings calmly, and their actions were forever noted in her mind. She was known to be wiser and more understanding than both of her older siblings, but she never used any of her gained knowledge. Gai-Tentotu created a world of her own as well, but she did not populate it with angels nor demons. Her kingdom did not consist of clouds of light upon which the forces of good would sing their praises towards their divine patron, neither was her sanctuary a dreaded pit of sheer agony in which evil writhed in indescribable pain.

Gai-Tentotu made herself a lush valley in which she created trees and plants, and she would spend most of her time sitting amongst her creations, watching them grow, evolve, noting down their behaviour and evolution with enthusiasm as she also kept a vigilant eye on her siblings and their affairs.

Naar, the violent, unpredictable god of chaos was the youngest of the four prime deities. Naar was a chaotic rebellous god who desired nothing but honing that which had given birth to them all in the first place; Chaos. Naar loved chaos, and everywhere he went, he sought to spread it. He loved the random and unpredictable, and he could not stand order, law and predictable actions. Naar created for himself a realm where everything was in constant change. Naar's ralm had no name, though it is commonly refered to as Narimenos, Chaos' Domain. He made for himself a dominion of fire and lightning, a chaotic world where everything was in motion. His minions were beings of roaring fire and crackling lightning, which rather than obeying him did whatever they pleased, just the way Naar would have it. Unpredictable, chaotic. Naar was not content though. He watched his siblings with unease. Their sense of order, content, it made him feel sick. He did not want this peace to last.

20 000 years before the Apocalypse - The First War

Naar the chaotic noticed the apparent disgust in between two of his siblings, Llaron and Theki. He knew that given the proper motivation the two deities would be at eachother's throats. Naar visited the dominion of light, Kalymenos, and sought out his brother Llaron. Llaron was surprised to see Naar within his domain, but despite his surprise he welcomed his younger brother and hailed him as one God to another. Naar approached his older brother and whispered to him about Theki's malice, how she treated her minions and how they never knew happiness within her kingdom. Llaron was aware of this, but Naar's words affected him. He became furious, and stated that Naar was right. Theki's domain was an abomination to the harmony he represented, and he would free her demons, release them frmo their torment and let Theki know that pain is not the right path.

Naar's plan was successful, and soon Llaron would gather his angels and teach them the art of war, for the first time. The angels of Kalymenos were filled with grief, pity for the demons of Khagomenos. They knew they would serve their mistress regardless of their whims, for they were hers, in body, mind and soul. Nevertheless they were determined to free them from their chains.

While the armies of light amassed, Naar made haste to the domain of Khagomenos. He reached the pits of anguish which Theki oversaw, and approached her humbly, like an inferior, the way he knew would please her. Theki was pleased to see Naar, especially when he approached her in such a submissive manner. She welcomed Naar into her domain like Llaron had earlier, and asked him of what he wished of her.

Naar replied that he had come to warn her. Llaron meant to destroy her domain, take her playthings and force her to bend to his will. Llaron did not wish to co-exist with darkness, he wanted the multiverse to himself, to rule unchallenged. Theki became as furious as her older brother, cursing his name. She called out to her demons, and they answered her call, groveling before her like the vermin they were to her. She would prepare to meet her brother head on, an army of demons to clash with his army of angels. Naar left her domain, overjoyed that he had managed to pit the two against eachother so easily. They had not questioned him at all.

Naar then visited the last of the siblings, Gai-Tentotu, intending to let her join the ensuing chaos. As he approached her, she was watching one of her trees, sitting in a field of bright, beautiful flowers. Naar's mere fiery presence caused the flowers to disintegrate, and the leaves of Gai-Tentotu caught fire as he neared his sister to speak. Gai-Tentotu watched her brother destroy her creations, utterly calm. Before Naar had the chance to speak though, she cut him off. "I am not interested in your war, brother. I have seen what you have done, and I wish not to partake. Leave, and let me watch my creations in peace."

Naar was infuriated by this. She did not only refuse to spread chaos along with her siblings, but she did not seem unnerved by his aura of destruction either. She was calm, like a mighty cliff against the storm. He despised her for her calm, for her serene nature and her lack of impulsiveness. Naar knew she would not turn against her kin, and he left in a rage, setting fire to many of his sister's creations as he left. Gai-Tentotu calmly proceeded to recreate that which Naar had ruined during his brief visit, then she returned to her flowerbed, observing everything that occurred.

*

The armies of light approached the realm of darkness, carried throughout the multiverse by wings granted them by their father, Llaron. Llaron himself led the army of angels throughout the cosmos, the light of the massive army shining like radiant stars. As the armies of light approached the dark, swirling realm of Khagomenos though, Llaron noticed something to be off. Something came to meet them.

Massive armies of demons, carried on wings of darkness granted them by their unholy mother, rose to the skies to meet Llaron and his angels. At the front was the queen of darkness herself, Theki. She roared with fury as she gazed upon the face of her foe, he who dared attack her in her own home. Llaron answered with a shout of his own, his divine voice inspiring his angels as Theki's dark voice stroke fear into the hearts of her demons. There was a moment of silence as the two armies stared eachother down, and chaos ensued.

Angels armed with sleek swords and heavy spears clashed with demons carrying gruesome axes and massive clubs, and amidst all the chaos of war, the rival siblings fought one another with intense hate and fury. Llaron hated his sister for her malice, her evil and jealousy, for wanting to rule the multiverse as a supreme being. Theki hated her brother for his goodwill, his kindness and perfection. She looked upon him as a weak-willed fool, unfit for godhood. Darkness and light were entwined in a symphony of death and slaughter, and tens of thousands of angels and demons fell from the skies, evaporating as their very souls were torn apart.

Naar reveled in this, empowered by the sheer chaos of war. He grew stronger for every clash of arms, every fallen warrior, every hateful yell. Naar was becoming stronger than any of his siblings, soaking up all the power they so willingly gave him by acting the way they did. Naar was not content with staying back though. He wished to partake in the chaos, and, opening the gates of Narimenos he unleashed a raging storm of fire and lightning. His army of chaos joined the fray, searing and electrifying angel and demon alike. Three factions now raged throughout the cosmos, a frenzy of chaos threatening to tear the very fabric of reality apart. This was what Naar wanted, he could feel how reality was weakened, threatening to give way and toss the entire cosmos into its most basic form, chaos. Naar cheered, overjoyed by what was happening.
The war continued for milennia, millions of angels, demons and spawns of chaos perishing in the chaotic rage of war.

Then, amidst the warring factions, Gai-Tentotu made an appearance. She had no army of her own, only herself. She was however, a Goddess. She raised her hand, and on her whim, the fighting stopped, every angel, demon, even the spawn of chaos seizing their slaughter as she spoke; "Can you not see what is happening? This war will not only destroy every last one of you, but it will also be the end of everything. Reality is falling apart, and if you will not halt this war immediately, all hope is lost." Her siblings knew she spoke the truth. Blinded they were by their rage, blind to the truth which seemed so obvious now that they had time to think.

Naar screamed, a fierce howl echoing throughout the cosmos. Amidst his minions of lightning and fire he rose, shouting for everyone to carry on fighting, killing, spilling the blood of their foes and adding to the chaos. None obeyed. Gai-Tentotu proposed an agreement, a way to settle their disputes without tearing reality apart and dooming the multiverse. Llaron and Theki agreed, pleading with her to share with them her plan. Naar would hear nothing of it, retreating with his army back to his domain.

15 000 Before the Apocalypse - The Creation of Naradun

Gai-Tentotu suggested that they all created a new world, another domain in which they would settle their differences. They would all add to this world, creating a mixture of all the domains in which they would battle in a more sublime way. They would not interfere directly within this new world, but carry out their will within the new world through the creatures that would inhabit it. The new world would indirectly decide the outcome of the brutal war between light and darkness, order and chaos. Her two older siblings agreed that this was a better alternative to their war. If light prevailed and came to rule the new world, Theki would be vanquished. If darkness engulfed the world, and good was forever destroyed in the newborn domain, Llaron would be evaporated.

Naar eventually approached his siblings, curious as he was. He quickly found out what they were on about and blatantly refused to let them carry out their scheme. He wished for chaos to roam free, not be bound by some petty plaything of his siblings. However, the unified will of his siblings could not be overruled. Naar agreed to assist in creating the new world along with his fellow Gods, but should chaos overwhelm both light and darkness in the new world, the end of the cosmos would be the result. He would see the multiverse be torn apart, or die trying.

The gods agreed that every single one of them would contribute to this new world, which they named Naradun. All four of them poured of their own essence to create the world in which the fate of the multiverse would be decided upon. Gai-Tentotu shaped the land, created water which formed the great seas, mountains that reached the sky, and fields and valleys filled with her own beloved creations, trees and plants. The base of the world was a lush garden, filled with life.

Llaron and Theki marveled at the sight, at the living, breathing world upon which they gazed, and even Naar could not help but being impressed at his sister's work. Gai-Tentotu was not done however, and soon the gods would witness animals wandering the world, consuming the plants, and eachother, in order to survive and reproduce. The other three found these creatures much to their liking, and the eldest siblings both wanted lifeforms to call their own. Gai-Tentotu offered them to work together to shape a master-race that would include all aspects of all the gods. A race they would refer to as Niden-Tehur, "The Chosen Ones". Two species of the chosen would be present within the world. Niden-Llaron, Llaron's chosen, and Niden-Theki, Theki's chosen.

13 000 Before the Apocalypse - The Chosen Ones

Slowly, the Gods' chosen ones started populating the world as the first intelligent species of Naradun. They were taught the art of construction, as well as metalworking, and given the gift of magic by their godly creators. Mighty cities were built, magic was plentiful, and the chosen ones thrived in the lush, young world they were given. The lands of Naradun were split in two parts, separated by a vast ocean.

On the western continent, the Niden-Llaron were located, a peace-loving species, though made aware of the existence of their evil brethren and sisters on the other side of the world. Mighty cities blessed by their father towered towards the skies as a testament to their ancient father, and the first priesthood in dedication to Llaron's light was formed. Upon his most devoted followers, Llaron bestowed great gifts of power, turning them into demigods, the very embodiments of his goodwill and might.

The Niden-Theki claimed the eastern continent of Naradun. A race bred by their cruel mother for the sole purpose of bringing about suffering and mayhem, they constructed cities as mighty as those of their western neighbours, but rather than drawing power upon Llaron's holy light, they fed upon the darkness of Theki, their cities fueled by the sinister powers of their abyssal mistress. The priesthood of Theki was formed within these unholy bastions of darkness, and like her brother, Theki chose for herself several champions who would rise to powers far beyond those of their kin.

Neither Naar nor Gai-Tentotu chose a race for themselves. Instead, they would influence the races of Naradun in their own ways. Naar would inspire thoughts of chaos and impulse within the minds of the chosen, while Gai-Tentotu would implant reason and common sense into the brains of the Niden-Tehur, to contradict her brother's unpredictable behaviour.

The empires of the chosen ones grew, and as they did, so did the power of the gods they worshipped. The chosen ones ruled each continent contently, until one day, when Theki decided that it was time for her brother's chosen people to die.

6000 Before the Apocalypse - War of the Chosen

Theki's massive armies of darkness left the eastern shores, thousands of heavy war sihps leaving the dark continent to wage war upon their western foes. Led by Theki's most powerful mortal agent, the Niden-Theki known as Narkhun, the massive armies of evil seemed endless as they made their way across the sea.

After months on open water, the fleet of darkness caught glimpse of the western shores, where the armies of light, forewarned by their patron, were waiting for them. Great ivory towers lined the shores, and company upon company of heavily armed Niden-Llaron were there to bid the forces of darkness welcome with sword and spear. The air crackled with immense magic charged from both sides, and the very seconds the two armies came in range of one another, chaos ensued.

The mighty armies of light and darkness once again clashed, only this time the battle was fought out by mortals on the shores of Naradun, rather than god against god in person. Steel clashed against steel, and the dead piled high on the shores, heavy casualties on both sides. Powerful sorcery stirred the seas, caused the earth to erupt and turned the skies into a bloody shade of red. Screams of rage and hatred filled the air in between the song of metal against metal, only deafened by the cries of the fallen and the violent roars of powerful spells.

Slowly but surely, the forces of darkness managed to establish a foothold upon the shores, forcing the armies of light to slowly retreat. Finally, after hours of slaughter, the commander of the light's forces, Kurveldross, issued the order to fall back, the shores now lost to the armies of evil.

*

Theki had now gained a solid foothold on the western shore. She knew however, that the war was far from won. She had yet to lay waste to any of the major strongholds of the light, and instructed Narkhun to remain at the shore with his army, for the moment. They would first construct a massive stronghold from which he would issue his orders. Then, they would eradicate the light forever from this world.

Ever faithful to his dark mistress, Narkhun tapped into the gifts given to him and his most trusted liutenants, and with the aid of powerful, malevolent sorceries, they created a tower of darkness which rose from the very earth itself, made from stone darker than the blackest of nights. From this massive fortress, Narkhun would command the armies of darkness, delivering orders directly from Theki herself.

The war of the Chosen would continue from that day forth, for several thousand years. The battle raged back and forth, neither of the sides gaining the advantage over one another. Until Naar made his move.

Year 0 - The Apocalypse

He had reveled in the chaos created by the Niden-Tehur but noticed the stalemate in between the forces of good and evil. Always craving chaos, he approached the dark goddess with a proposition. He would bestow his blessing upon her army, allowing her forces to gainthe upper hand. In return, he wished for nothing but the slaughter of the Niden-Llaron.
Theki agreed to this, and as promised, Naar bestowed his blessing upon the armies of the Niden-Theki. They grew, and their powers grew with them. The majority of Theki's evil army were a mutated crossbreed between the Niden-Theki they had been and Naar's madness.

Narkhun himself refused the transformation, however, insisting that he receive his powers solely from his patron. Theki and Naar both understood this, and let him remain as he was, along with a select few other Niden-Theki.

The effects of the transformation were devastating. The armies of darkness won again and again on the battlefield, slaughtering any being of light who dared stand against them. Everything seemed lost to the forces of light,as only one last city remained to stand against the massive armies of Theki. Kurveldross himself stood at the front of the last army of light, letting out a challenging roar across the plains as he defiantly pointed his mighty spear at the waves of foes swarming down towards the final bastion.

Then, something unexpected occurred. The Niden-Theki infused with the powers of chaos suddenly started to fight one another, plowing through their own ranks and sending their own flying. Theki's mighty armies were in disarray, confused by the sheer chaos all around them.
Naar's voice echoed throughout the battlefield, a maniacal laughter of triumph and glee. It mixed with Theki's roar of anger, a deafening cacaphony of voices ringing across the battlefield.

Fueled by his righteous fury, and inspired by the voice of his patron, Kurveldross rose to the skies, carried on wings of light as he issued the order to destroy Theki's dark army. The army of light marched forward, against the chaotic mass that was the armies of Darkness.

Narkhun managed to rally the Niden-Theki not affected by Naar's chaotic energies, and fought off both the forces of light and the chaotic spawn that was his own kin. However, casualties were heavy, and they knew they wouldn't last. Narkhun spotted Kurveldross in the heat of battle, and called for a challenge. Kurveldross mutely accepted, and they faced one another in the heat of battle. The mortal embodiment of light against its dark counterpart.

Powerful sorceries of immense power and magnitude were unleashed as Kurveldross spear of light clashed with Narkhun's blade of darkness, powers of good and evil flowing from the two, wrestling with one another and sending a rain of death across the battlefield.

Naar once more interfered however, and manipulated the energies emitting from the two champions. The forces they tried to control in order to crush one another went out of hand, and that, combined with the heavy amount of sorcery and magic alraedy being tossed all around the battlefield by casters from both sides, caused the very skies to erupt in a raging storm of chaotic energies. Massive bolts of lightning tore the land apart, and the earth itself erupted into an inferno of flames. Tremendous cracks of thunder were heard everywhere, and explosions of light, darkness, fire, lightning and pure, chaotic energy caused the very world to tremble.

From the bastion of light on the western continent to the great cities of darkness in the east, they could feel the world being torn into shreds. The skies turned a deep crimson color and a storm of pure chaos raged across both continents. The world was threatening to shatter, thus granting Naar victory. Once again though, Gai-Tentotu would interfere, and halt the advances of the storm before it was too late.

Unnoticed by her siblings until she chose to make her stand, Gai-Tentotu summoned from the wilds mighty dragons, reptilian beings of immense power and wisdom carried on mighty wings to prevent the destruction of Naradun. The dragons were few in number, but their knowledge and resourcefulness rivaled even that of their ancient mother. The dragons of Gai-Tentotu gathered together, and, using the vast power granted to them by their goddess, they managed to halt the storm with the use of magic powerful enough to rival that of the rampant chaotic energies themselves. Slowly but surely, the storm subsided, and the sundered world was spared an untimely fate.

Year 100 After the Apocalypse - The Pursuit of Smergh, and the Dawn of the New Races

The continents were now torn apart, divided into four smaller continents which drifted into the four corners of the world during the sundering. One to the north, one to the south, one to the east and one to the west. The two champions of light and darkness, Narkhun and Kurveldross, both received orders from their gods, to bury the hatchet for now, and instead rid the world of Naar's chaotic offspring. The chaotic energies ravaging the lands had left their mark, and many beings throughout the world had been twisted by Naar's destructive powers and turned into beings of sheer chaos.

Most notable of these creatures was the demon known only as Smergh. A massive ever-changing being of tremendous power and magnitude, he was the greatest threat to the world second to Naar himself, and none of the other gods wished to see such a being exist in their world. Should Naar be left unwatched again, history would repeat itself, possibly with the result of him winning. He could fail time and again, but he needed only succeed once.

Along with the mightiest of dragons, known as Thakulestryxx, Narkhun and Kurveldross gathered their remaining armies and set out to confront Smergh. Smergh was a cunning creature though, receiving aid directly from his unpredictable father. The forces of light nor darkness, not even Thakulestryxx managed to get hold of the elusive creature.

During the years of pursuit, the gods witnessed something they had not predicted. From the wilds of the sundered world, new races were starting to emerge. Odd beings faintly similar to the Niden-Tehur, but still quite different. These primitive races evolved at a much faster pace than their preceedors, and quickly learned to use primitive tools and harness fire.

Elves were wandering the forests, where they adapted into the ways of the wild. Night Gremlins lurked within the dark underground caves of Naradun, where they quickly learned to appreciate the resources found therein. The freezing continent of the north gave birth to the Arvel, whose appearance was cold and unfeeling like the climate surrounding them. And all over the world, humans started to inhabit the land, thriving in nearly any climate presented to them, save the cold wastes in which only the Arvel lived.

Not even the gods knew whether the races had been created by the apocalypse itself, or if they had been lurking in the shadows of the world for a longer period of time. Nevertheless, they were fascinated by these new beings starting to populate the world.

The prime gods also noticed a change in their own plane, the realm of the gods. New beings started taking shape, beings of a nature much like their own. The apocalypse gave birth not only to mortals, it would seem, but also gods. These new gods were lesser than their elder kin, but gods no less. Dozens of gods were brought to life during these times, which would later be known as the "Rebirth".

The gods created by the apocalypse were approached by their elder siblings, and were soon made aware of their role in the multiverse, and the delicate nature of the gods' ancient game. The new gods varied greatly in nature, and each and every one of them contributed to the world in their own way. Some were dark of nature, others were beings of light. Others again were neither.

They all represented aspects they implemented into the world, which the mortal races had not before known. Naradun started to cycle between day and night, thanks to the gods of day and night. Mortals learned of the strongest feelings known to them, love and hate, as well as the acts of trickery and deceit. Seasons also changed, the forests losing their leaves, mammals donning winter fur and, summer, spring and autumn cycling between one another. Sleth breathed new life into the wilderness, filling it with wonder as well as danger.

The new gods found their place in the world, as did the mortal races. The mortals which now filled the world were more primitive than their precedors, the chosen ones. However, they proved to be made of tougher material than the Niden-Tehur, besting the harsh nature of Naradun, clustering together in primitive settlements. They were under constant harassment from Naar's chaotic spawn, surrounded by wild beasts and cruel, unforgiving nature, but they survived. Nothing seemed to extinguish the sheer will to live present in these new creatures.

The Niden-Tehur and their demigod champions cared little for these primitive beings though. Their sole purpose was now to hunt down and annihilate Smergh, for the chaos and destruction he left in his wake was unforgiveable. As the number of corpses in his wake grew, so did Smergh, and at the pase he was progressing, he might at some point rise to such power that he could challenge even the gods themselves. Kurveldross, Narkhun and Thakulestryxx searched for decades, trying to get hold of this elusive beast.

Finally, after one hundred years of pursuit, the search bore fruit, and Smergh was located. Smergh was born with the ability to change his physical form, thus allowing him to travel across the continents with ease, be it by sea or flight. Smergh had made his lair on the southernmost continent, in the deserts of Eluth, where he gathered around himself hordes of his kin to swarm his would-be assassins.

He was discovered though, and the remnants of the chosen approached the infernal creature with the forces of light and darkness united against chaos. In the great ravine dug out by Smergh himself they fought the beast.

The battle went on for hours. The chosen, along with Thakulestryxx managed to mortally wound Smergh. Hundreds of Niden-Tehur were lost in the battle of the ravine, and thousands upon thousands of Smergh's chaotic children were massacred, and Kurveldross, Narkhun and Thakulestryxx were all weary and worn out. Smergh roared in defeat, knowing he would either be imprisoned or slain by his adversaries. Before the champions had the time to react though, Smergh spat out an immense ball of fire, which was sent hurtling across the world. "My daughter shall free me, fools. Be it hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of years, she will free me." Kurveldross, Narkhun and Thakulestryxx then closed in on the wounded avatar of madness and chaos, using their unified powers to bind Smergh deep within the earth, forcing him into a deep slumber from which he could not wake. Buried by sand and rock, cursed to millennia of sleep, Smergh was no longer a threat to Naradun.

Year 100-1000 after the Apocalypse - Recreation

Above the chamber in which Smergh, avatar of chaos, was buried, Kurveldross let build, with the aid of his sacred deity, a massive temple of light, in which Kurveldross himself would reside, watching over the slumbering fiend with undying vigilance. Selflessly he appointed himself to the tiresome task of being the warden of chaos in the mortal realm. All alone in the scorching desert, Kurveldross would remain in case Smergh's terrible prophecy should come true.

Narkhun, on the other hand, had no intention of staying in the south. He returned to the East on his dark mother's whim to rebuild his unholy empire of evil.The lands had diminished in size, mere shadows of what they had been in the past, but the new races, humans, elves, gremlins, orcs... individually, each race outnumbered all of the Niden'Tehur which has ever walked the surface of Naradun. Narkhun was amazed by the speed in which the new mortal races reproduced, as well as their amazing will to survive despite all odds. He experimented with the mortals he encountered in the Eastern lands, testing them, pushing them to the limits. He found them to be amusing toys, and decided that these creatures would be his thralls.

Narkhun, using sheer force of will, compelled mortals all around him to bend to his will, crushing the spirits of the primitive races within his domain. With ease, he rallied the people of the Eastern continent and ruled over his new slaves with an iron fist. He commanded they build him a new fortress, even greater than the last one, a homage to the undying power of his almighty mother, Theki. Narkhun taught his thralls the arts of construction, metalworking and currency, teaching them bits and pieces of his wisdom as he saw fit. Slowly, a civilization began emerging from the dark forests and treacherous swamps of the Eastern lands. The empire of the East, under Narkhun's rule, was slowly taking shape.

Meanwhile, Kurveldross had also attracted to himself mortals of the new age. No elves, gremlins nor orcs resided in the south, but humans were numerous. Adaptable as they were to nearly any climate, moreso than their orcish, elven, arvel and gremlin likes, they quickly adapted to life underneath the scorching sun. Several primitive tribes approached Kurveldross where he sat on his throne, and he embraced them, sheltered them, gave them a new home to call their own. Kurveldross also shared with them his knowledge and wisdom, and slowly, a city started to grow around Kurveldross' sacred temple. Soon, a grand metropolis surrounded the holy lair of Kurveldross, prison of Smergh. As opposed to Narkhun, Kurveldross ruled the mortal people of the South with kindness, mutual respect and good heart. He was loved by the people, and loved them in return, praising them for their devotion both to him and his father, Llaron, father of light.

Thakulestryxx disappeared shortly after Smergh's capture. No one knows for sure where he disappeared to, though rumors would have it he did not die, but slumbers somewhere deep underneath the ground in the Western lands, waiting for a time when he once again is needed by the world.

The Western and Northern lands also slowly started evolving, the primitive tribes of barbaric mortals slowly starting to develop new tools and ways of life. They were still far from the splendor of the Southern or Eastern civilizations, but slowly, ever so slowly, they evolved and multiplied. In the Western forests, tribes of savage elves claimed the woodland for themselves, agressively chasing humans and orcs away from their grounds. Humans spread across the entire continent, from nomadic tribes wandering the vast coastlines to large settlements founded upon rolling green hills and stretched-out plains. Hun'Var, Night Gremlins, stayed in their subterranean homes, not adapted to the surface world and only emerging when utmost nescessary. Orcs roamed the countrysides, pillaging the other races for food and resources.
In the North, the Arvel also evolved. An isolated, yet ingenious people, they quickly learned to harness a power so far unknown to all but the Niden'Tehur and their champions. The power of arcana. The Arvel quickly adapted to the use of their arcane powers, and with its help they advanced far more quickly than any other race upon the surface of Naradun. Great cities made of gargantuan icicles brought up from the glacier by great Arvel magi served as homes for the brilliant race, and as they grew in power, they also grew in ambition.

The lands of the North, unkind as they were, were the perfect climate for the Arvel to thrive in, being creatures well adapted to life upon one of the most inhospitable locations known to the other races. They were completely unbothered by the cold climate, as opposed to those who shared the Northern continent with them. The Northerner humans, orcs, and giants. Being far larger and more powerful than their kindred, the northerner humans and orcs were slowly evolving in order to adapt to the harsh, unforgiving climate. Though tough as they were, they found themselves awestruck by the Arvel's arcane gifts. The Arvel were expanding, pushing far into Northerner lands in the hunt for more resources. The native Northerners responded agressively, attempting to rout the Arvel from their lands, but they were unable to do so. The orc, giant and human tribes argued and feuded amongst themselves and eachother, unable to unite against their common foe. The Arvel gained a solid foothold across the North and constructed giant towers to watch their newly drawn borders.

The Northerners eventually managed to unite, though only after their numbers had greatly suffered under the Arvel onslaught. Now fighting on the same side, orcs, humans and giants together posed a great threat to the Arvel dominion. Brutal wars were waged, and the Arvel Empire was given pause by the sheer strenght and toughness of their adversaries. War raged on for centuries, and borders continually shrank and grew, none of the sides managing to get a solid foothold for long.

Meanwhile, the Western lands had also faced revolution. Tribes of different races had long fought one another over food, territory and resources, but now the humans of the West had all united as one, under a single banner. The sheer amount of human power was too much for elf and orc alike to match, and one by one, the elven and orcish tribes were defeated. The elven people as a whole eventually surrendered to the human alliance, and allowed them free entry in their forests. In return, the elves were allowed to co-exist with their human conquerors, and keep their traditions and way of life. Over time, humans and elves laid their animosity behind themselves and thrived together as sister-races.

The orcs however, were not supporters of the peace the humans proposed to them. Not a single tribe offered to join the growing alliance, instead launching agressive attacks on elf and human alike. The orcs were bigger and stronger than their weaker counterparts, but not very bright. Thanks to superior tactics and numbers, humans and elves crushed the orcish resistance, giving the remaining tribes the choice between joining their alliance or being erased from history. The remnants of the orcish tribes then swore allegiance to the Western Alliance, the result being orcs, elves and humans living together in a tense, yet peaceful manner. As years passed, the orcs were more and more integrated within the human and elvish societies, and though animosity between the races exists even today, the three races, though living mostly in separate communities, co-exist in harmony.

The Hun'Var were also approached by the Alliance, emissaries of the growing empire approaching the caves of Thinya, the Underworld, with a message of peace. The gremlins at first refused their proposal, not interested at all in the affairs of the surface world, but soon, they faced great armies of humans, elves and orcs standing together before their doorsteps. The night gremlins grudgingly agreed to join the Western Alliance, but they insisted that their community, traditions and views were untouched by their allies.

A peaceful compromise was agreed upon, and the tribes of the West were now united. Slowly, as peace was near constant, only disturbed by the more savage species of the world, goblins and theshi, whose origins are as mysterious as the races now counted as "civilized", the West grew in power. The brute strenght of the orcs, the savage yet tranquil ways of the elves, the spirit and guile of the humans and ingenuity and inventiveness of the Hun'Var led to the Western continent becoming a highly advanced and functional power in the world.

Upon all the continents, religion played a significant part. All of the gods, old and new, influenced select mortals and made them their mortal representives upon Naradun, forming priesthoods and sects which would grow in size and power. In the East, gods of darkness and cruelty reigned. In the south, priesthoods of light and purity flourished, while the northern people, with the exception of Arvel who worship naught but Father and Mother Winter, worshipped gods of battle and bloodlust.

The Western lands, while leaning heavily towards Southern morals, generally worshipped gods representing balance and neutrality, the elves in particular having a love for gods such as Gai-Tentotu, mother nature. Priesthoods of Llaron and his fellow gods of light also emerged, and though secret communities worshipping gods of darkness also emerged in the West, good and neutrality was dominant, priesthoods of dark gods such as Theki, Thlak and Kessaleth quickly being disposed of. The only exception were the night gremlins, who demanded their right to worship Kessaleth, mother of night. Grudgingly, their wish was granted.

Year 1000-Today - The Later Years

Nearly two thousand years have passed since most of the species in this world found their niche in Naradun. Occasional wars have been fought, truces have been made and the north, south, east and west have all steadily advanced and grown in power. Arcana has been passed down from the Arvel to most other races, arcane study and research being an important resource in nearly every community, Hun'Var inventions are sold worldwide to wide-eyed customers of all races, teachings of religion spreads like a flashfire and the champions of light and darkness plot against one another from their lairs.

What the future brings, you are to decide...