Aertrea
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Aertrea is a classic fantasy setting with a dark atmosphere and a deep history.
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The story of Aertrea actually starts on a different planet entirely. Known as the 1st World, Aer was the first physical life-bearing world in the young prime material plane. Infused by intense flows of energy from the elemental planes, the positive and negative energy planes, and the still forming outer planes, Aer was the origin of thousands of unique beings. Now known as the Anasestra, most were little more than primitive creatures acting on instinct. Some were intelligent and developed the ability to harness the intense flows of energy to perform "magic". Over time the creatures of Aer became more organized. After ages of individual conflict, true war came to the first world. A strange three-way battle between shifting alliances ensued for countless years. The Du-Crua were usually two-legged humanoids who banded together to battle the monstrous Ebominsana, while the Draconians alligence shifted and changed. The conflict came to a head with the opening of an uncontrolled gate to the primal Abyss, flooding the world with Obyrith demons. A last defense, or perhaps a final gesture, the other side opened equally destructive gates to the negative and positive energy planes. Aer quickly became and remains, a dead planet filled with sand, ash, and ruins, haunted by ghosts, undead, and demons who dodge the destruction of ever-surging storms of negative and positive energy.
The powerful Anacestra were forced to flee. Many chose Aertrea as their new home. A burgeoning world of new life similar to Aer but already home to primitive fey creatures such as elves. The newcomers and their energy, the Anas, quickly dominated the Fey and Aertrea. They turned it into laboratory of shaping species who served them as soldiers and workers. They avoid the large scale open conflict that destroyed their last home. Over the courses of ages, the demi-god like beings Faded, some left or ascended, others were destroyed or imprisoned. Their fates surrounded in mystery and lost in history. They had, however, forever changed this world. Its natural energies, the Fey, and its inhabitants had been shaped by this incursion, both purposefully through Shaping and in countless other ways.
Aertrea continued on. It was next dominated by the most powerful servants and creations of the Anacestra; the elemental dragons and titans, also known as the Prima Servi. Few in number they ravaged the ancient rule in wars not dissimilar to those of their previous masters. At the height of this conflict, they were blindsided by an invasion of abominations from the deep within the earth, led by long forgotten Embominsana and their servants. In the greatest conflict Aertrea had ever seen, the aberrations were defeat and forced back into the Underdark, but the strength of the Prima Servi had been broken forever. Into this void stepped the Giants, a race shaped by the Anasestra on Aertrea. They create "empires" making use of the same model of their previous masters, using lesser races as servants and soldiers. In time they to faded into history. While the giants were playing master, the younger servant races were growing in power, number, and cooperation.
These lesser races stepped up and an Golden Age ensued. Known as the Age of Empires, the world saw seven (or more) great Empires rise and prosper for ages. While the world still knew wars and conflict, it also knew great peace, extensive trade, and advanced in magic and other technologies that improved the lives of many. The Age of Empires continues to be felt in the current era, as the ideas brought forth then continue to guide today's nations. Many of Aertrea's greatest features existed from this time, although most are in ruins. The age of Empires came to end in a series of catastrophic events that included the a titantic blast caused by the loss of one of the planets moons, a wide spread intelligent plague known as the Tears of Achylis, a massive betrayal and war between elven factions.
Following a period of darkness, a new, but lesser Age of Empires has come about. Less grand and wide spread, these great nations were mostly human nations (unlike the previous Age). While certainly worthy, these Empires have not left their mark on Aertrea like the previous did. The current date is a few centuries into the decline of this second wave of empires. Civilization finds itself on the decline. Lands once settled are returning to wilderness as chaos and lawlessness encroach. Great nations and even greater heroes still exist and it falls upon them to resist (or hasten) these changes. Fate looks to a few worthy individuals to shape and change this world as it heads towards a new age.....