History of Kastrea

Age of Myth

-2000 > -501

The age of myth refers to the times long since past, of which only fragments and legends remain. Tales handed down from parent to child, stories told by teachers to eager eyed youngsters, and myths passed around a late night campfire. It is a time often spoken of in reverence, for regardless of if the legends are true or not, it was truly a time of grand accomplishments. The age of great kings, of epic battles, and of legendary heroes. It was a time ripe with magic unlike any seen since, and of feats which will forevermore remain unchallenged. It is not known how much of the Age of Myth is hyperbole, accounts which have since been embellished and twisted by the passage of time, and how much is accurate. Due to the fragmented nature of the age of myth there is no solid consensus as to it’s starting time nor what came before it, often known only as the Age of Darkness.

Age of Rebuilding

-500 > -201

The end of the Second Dead War brought with it the full realization of the losses suffered during the Age of Myth. An entire continent had been lost to the undead, millions had died, and those who had survived did so upon a desolate landmass which could not possibly support them for long. Although the Celestial Guardians had been forced to retreat, they had left mankind with new. Weapons which could stand up to the immense powers of the undead hordes. Engines of war which could push back the once innumerable hordes of skeletal warriors. Varin armor protected those brave enough to venture across the shores and reclaim the old continent. Lastian rifles, arcane weapons capable of damaging the undead where employed by elite warriors to cleanse areas once thought lost. Despite the losses, humanity was ready to strike back and fight off the undead, on it’s own terms.

Age of War

-200 > -1

The Age of Rebuilding slowly came to a close around the year 389 as various factions within the old Kastrean empire laid claim to the ancient Fortress-cities which had been left behind during the exodus from the undead hordes during the Age of Myth. Thus forming a myriad of smaller kingdoms which sought independence and self-governance. Numerous wars erupted as city-states banded together and rebelled against the Kastrean Remnant Empire. Although short, the aptly named Age of War resulted in the loss of much of the remaining gifts given to humanity by the Guardians along with a technological regression as many long held secrets to manufacturing and metal-smithing were lost, their texts destroyed to keep them from falling into the hands of rival factions. Even relatively simple steel based weaponry and armor became prized relics, and the people who were able to maintain and repair them were elevated to the status of nobles. Pride was found in hand to hand combat and many ranged weapons were used sparingly if at all, being supplanted by magic or viewed as the tools of weaklings depending on the faction.

Age of Unification

0 317

Age of Ending

317 and beyond

The royal historical academy places the official start of the Age of Ending in 806 during the event known as the Disaster of Adrias, wherein the city of Adrias was annihilated when the local mage council attempted to cast a large scale healing spell on a wounded army. However many scholars believe that the Age of Ending actually began almost 200 years prior to it’s official starting date, between 683 and 700, with the first recorded instances of magical corruption and the first emergence of Spirit Creatures. While magical corruption had been present ever since the Age of Myth and rumors of strange beings being brought forth by spells had were known to date back as far as the Age of War it was not until around the 700s that these events began to increase both in frequency and intensity. It is not certain what exactly caused these events, however many attribute the increasing instability of magic to the numerous witch covens which were employed during the Age of Unification to support the Magtarian Kingdom’s expansion, and the subsequent counter deployment of magical individuals by various lesser nations.