Phadrus, Land of 4 Rivers

Phadria, before the story begins (2500-2000)
Phadria long ago was a unified land. In the beginning as with many of the virgin grounds of Caelos the gods made it their mission to create their new home; to truly make it theirs. What made Phadria special were its 4 Rivers, which met in the heart of the continent. These Rivers were named after the 4 founding houses of Phadrus: • Occidensa (West to East) • Oriensa (East to West) • Austerensa (South to North) • Boreansa (North to South)

Some 2500 years ago the gods, Melora, Kord, Lolth and Corellon made their home in these lands. Corellon took to the west, Lolth to the North, Melora to the East, and Kord to the South. For 500 years there was peace, there was hope, life and love in the land of four rivers. It was to this place that Corellon brought his affectionate followers, the Eternal Elves, his Eladrin from his home of The Feywilds. He wanted them to embrace the beauty and difficulty of what it meant to make something of their own, and after having spent millennia in The Feywilds, he thought it time for them to make this wish a reality. Lolth being Corellon’s closest friend and lover, asked if she could take some of his children and have them do the same in the north, and of course he obliged her, trusting her intentions to be pure. This was the last decision Corellon made in the mortal realms that would reflect such love or desire to cooperate, as it nearly became his undoing.

While Kord and Melora had brought their own followers, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Humans and the like, Corellon urged his children to move closer with them and to collaborate in the hopes that united they could fashion a world unlike that which has ever been. This, though initially tense, Kord and Melora urged their followers to accept the Eladrin despite their eccentricities. Unbeknownst to them all, Lolth had begun her machinations in the deep north of Phadria (Auron on the map) beyond the Traitor’s Expanse (The small bit of land separating Auron and Phadria). It was her plan all along to come with Corellon to this new land and to corrupt and break everything he sought out to create, for she was jealous. She was jealous of all the love and attention he poured on these “contemptable little things” and she referred to his Eladrin. And so it was her will and mission to take the segment of the population she did and to twist, torture, and mold them into her worshippers that they might one day break this new world and she could at last be all that was left for her lover to witness. Out of these generations of perversion and torture arose the first Drow of Caelos, truly a dark day for all.
Eventually, Corellon came to find out what his lover had been up to in the northern wilds of Phadria, but it was too late to stop what she had done. It was during a festival that was celebrated on the day of each solar cycle when the elves came from The Feywilds, that Lolth thought it most appropriate to make her treachery known. As Corellon began to speak and the crowds of his children crowded around the amphitheater to listen to their creator, from the ground rose great spiders, larger than even a horse and atop those spiders were a twisted visage of the Eladrin, their skin black as pitch and their eyes dark as the torture their souls endured under The Treacherous One. Blood was shed, curses hurled along with magic that devastated the land and its denizens. If not for Melora and Kord The Lady of Treason would have struck Corellon down and she’d have won. Through their combined efforts, the Drow were pushed north and Lolth was dragged back to the Astral Sea where she underwent judgement and sentencing to the Abyss where she resides still now.
This battle shattered parts of the world and caused such great misery and death that the 3 gods decided it best for them to leave this world freer of their influence, and they also returned to their domains. Many of the surviving Eladrin returned to their native home of the Feywilds but 4 families, those named after the 4 rivers, chose to remain. Though breeding between other races has essentially diminished their blood greatly, to this day the descendants of one of these 4 great families sit upon the throne of Phadria, and the Drow still oppose them, having made a “Dark Union” in the north at that very time, when they aren’t fighting amongst themselves.


Phadria, the Empire of 4 rivers (2000-1000)
For the next 900 years, the battles between these factions waged on, The Twilight Union building black fortresses across the sea and sending incursions both above ground and underground at their foes, The Sangquinas Corellas, the 4 royal families of Phadrus. As every one of these attempts was buffeted, a member of the Blood Court (The Twilight Union’s governing body) Sylvis Xiltria created a group that focused less on fighting and more on infiltration. Though initially rebuffed as a coward and weakling, an aspect of Lolth was in attendance and made herself known. The aspect claimed Sylvis as her new mortal form and in this new body, she reaffirmed Sylvis’ initial ideas as she reminded them of how she had nearly overthrown her previous lover in the ancient days. Thus began the downfall of the Empire of 4 rivers. Through years of infighting caused by the deception and trickery of the Moré Kambâ (Black Hand in Undercommon), the 4 families found themselves having a tremendous amount of division about how to rule this empire of theirs:
• The Occidensa moved to the west annexing their lands, and eventually becoming what is today The Zosin Alliance (1397). • The Oriensa (1362) moved east annexing their lands and becoming the Kingdom of Acoria themselves. • The Austernesa (1348) took their people moving southwest and founding the Kingdom of Aestrux. • The peoples of Kord that still live mostly in these lands moved to the southern peninsula of Phadria and founded several city-states, governing by rule of The Council of Three, or the three leaders of the three city-states (1321).
This hundred years of falling out significantly weakened the unity of the people and left them vulnerable to the attacks of what was unknown to them until now, as The Vogall Dominion.
After the division of the great Elven Empire had happened, tensions between these new Kingdoms obviously began causing strife for the peoples of each faction. After 20 years or so of these various issues (setting up trade routes and rules, embargos on certain aspects and goods, how to treat magic, etc.) the institution of the Magistracy was started. This was in effect, a multi-monarchical organization, spanning the borders of every region within Phadrus, excluding Concitrorea as they were always their own sort of faction to begin with. Though it should be noted that the agents of this Magistracy are welcome and treated with some modicum of respect within the borders of the Southern Triumvirate. The agents of this organization are chosen carefully from within each Kingdom, each having served some important purpose within their respective kingdoms; often ex-military officers/soldiers, or some other sort of public servant within their domains. There is always an equal number of Magistrates from any given Kingdom as to avoid any sort of imbalance between them. There sits a council of Keepers, one from each Kingdom, who work together on assigning groups of Magistrates to certain purposes and communicating from their respective higher authorities to keep peace amongst the organization. Each group created within the Magistrates has an equal number of representatives from a given Kingdom as per the order's ideals. These groups are assigned by the council to certain areas throughout the whole of the continent and are expected to deal with problems of disorder or criminal activity, or to settle any disputes having to do with individuals of differing Kingdoms. They are granted a great deal of judicial leniency and local guards know to offer the Magistrates any sort of accommodation or help that is requested, up to the point of even uncomfortability; if the Magistrates have come to town, something has gone wrong.

Iashix, the land of blood and honey (1000-500)
It was during these years of dissonance between the Sanguinas Corellas that a new political player on the scene came up out of their own land seeking glory and riches of which they new nothing. These peoples were savage, powerful and driven by fury the likes of which even surprised the followers of Kord. Woefully, overmatched, the forces of Phadria were beset upon by creatures that were known as Dragonborn, Half-Dragons, Dracotaur (CC), Orcs, Goblins, Trolls and all manor of nasty beasts. All those years ago it seems that Demogorgon had slipped through the aether to find his way to Iashix. While the other gods toiled away in Phadria he had begun his mad machinations and experiments on this massive island, away from the purview of prying eyes. Having no remorse or real care for the tortured beings he created, he left when there was a great shift in the Blood War as the Arch Devils made their move on his territory in his absence. These beasts, twisted physically and mentally, established a brutal culture of “The Strongest survive and the weak serve”, a tenet they all seemed to understand as if by their very nature. About the time that The Twilight Union and the Blood Court had begun their strategic disassembling of the great Phadrian houses, the more innovative of these creatures had began building boats that could go across the rough seas to the west. It was upon one of these expeditions that a group of followers of Melora were slaughtered along the eastern coasts, known now as The Sullenhelm Wildlands.
For the next 500 years, the eastern coast was beset upon by these creatures and the families had renewed some confidence in one another, having established the first great army in a thousand years from all the peoples of the original 3 gods that came to Phadrus over a thousand years ago. It was at this time that magic was developed and researched that was useful for war (think of your Fireballs, Lightning Bolts, Shatters, etc.). This was instrumental in the victories over these invaders as though they were brawny, they seemed to have little ability in the arcane or divine magicks. It was during this time that many of the great fortresses and keeps that dot the edges of Phadria’s borders were constructed, in response to the frequent incursions. Each of them is named after a great general that fought in a war (aside from Paigam’s Keep and Xete’s Keep). Some of these beasts made it all the way across the empire and into what is known as The Shattered Vale. This was a spectacular sequence of events where one of the smarter and more dangerous abyssal creatures, known only as The Ashbringer (See ..\Creatures\Ashbringer Demon.jpg ), found a way to open a portal to the Abyss for a short time. That catastrophic event killed or corrupted all The Shattered Vale and has left that land known colloquially to be cursed. Those who go there, enter at their own peril. Nobody has seen or heard from this being since the portal was closed in 650.

The Archipelega Dracora, and the Price of Peace (500-Present)
About 500 years ago, The Twilight Union redoubled their efforts to break through the lines along the Traitor’s Expanse. Concerned with the growing influence of the Drow, the King Haldir Boreansa sent out his úlairé vantas (OOL-AR-AYE VAHN-TA-S, The Blood Sworn) to seek out allies for holding the north in a more stable manner, rather than repulsing invasion after invasion. These Blood Sworn traveled westward to the Glistening Isles where they found trade and maps describing a land full of powerful creatures known as “Dragons”. Great winged lizards that could decimate entire armies by themselves. They were told that if they were to go there, they would contend with the eldest of these beings and they must go bearing a gift, else their ship would be decimated before it ever touched land. They heeded this warning and purchased many jeweled items, golden goblets and bowls, scepters fit for royalty and the like.
After nearly two months of travel south west, they could see land far off, and to their dismay they were beset upon by a pair of massive winged lizards, one copper and one gold. Both just larger than horses they were mighty specimens. Upon pleading in their native tongue, fearful of what might come, they presented their gifts and to their surprise the creatures seemed pleased and allowed them to pass. They came to an island known as Orless in the common tongue, and what a sight it was. There must have been at least a dozen of these dragons that seemed to make their way across the land, playing games it would seem. It was there that they met a greater beast, one larger than all the rest, with Gemstones twinkling in the moonlight (as they had arrived in the night). Larger than an elephant from Iashix, they were absolutely stunned at the immensity and majesty of this creature. It was there that they convened and asked the advice of this great beast, her name Orlessa, the vibrant as she instructed them.
The creature told them that they should not make war with these creatures but peace, and she went on to explain her own situation and that of the Dragonkind at large. There was tense peace here, but a peace nonetheless. The Blood Sworn were irritated with this answer, but feigned graciousness and spent some days there on this island among these creatures, learning their ways and tongue. It was then the leader had an idea, one that could have them all killed, or could save their kingdom, he hoped. Visaré Syl-Wenys had learned from these dragons that those of them that were adorned with gemstones, had a unique power, one that could be harnessed he surmised. And so, in the night as the creatures slept and played their games, he stole from them two eggs; One Amethyst and the other Emerald.
Thankfully, their ship was fast enough to get them out of the range of the island by daybreak. They could not see, though they could hear the results of their deeds from the many miles away that they found themselves. In his mind, Visaré recounted the voice of that elder dragon Orlessa:

You have done more harm to your people than you realize. The power those young ones carry, must be nurtured and trained up well. Reap the rewards for your treachery, elf.

It seems for now, Visaré’s treachery has not had any negative consequences. That incident was nearly 500 years ago.