History

Pre-Godfall

(Noted as BG in the Valean Calender)

Before Godfall was known to be a prosperous time in every way. Under the rule of God there was peace among all. Nations were prosperous, they got along with each other, there was trade. Science, magic, arts, culture, philosophy, all of it was advancing steadily forward. It was truly the golden age of the world.

However many were unhappy with God. Despite the wonders of the world - people were not rule. The analogy was made that despite the iron fist being gentle, it was still restricting. God had absolute power and its angels - the Shepherds of the Moon, enforced this power on the material plane. Dislike for God and the Shepherds started growing. A reckoning was on its way.

Godfall

(Year 0)

Nobody thought it was possible. Nobody knows how it happened. Nobody knows who did it. God died. It was killed by human mages wielding Gods very own magic. This was the foretold reckoning. This was the end of a prosperous time. Up until this point magic had exclusively consisted of divine intervention and prayers so magic disappeared. The Shepherds were either sent into a vengeful frenzy or they cowered away. Without Shepherds or magic much of human society began collapsing. Simultaneously, monsters began springing up. The most powerful of which were known as Scions - these creatures had somehow inherited a portion of Gods power after its death and now wreaked havoc on the earth.

This cataclysmic combination led to the near extinction of the human race. For years they merely scraped long - hiding in the rotting ruins of their once great cities.

The Sunless Years

(Year 0 to roughly 150 AG)

The Sunless Years are the Years that followed Godfall. Another consequence of killing God is that the Sun was now broken. It still shines but it is full of cracks and holes - hence the name of this era. Humanity still existed, but so much was uncertain, and the world was changing at such a fast pace that most people assumed this was the end.

Ichor

Part of Gods body had been scattered across the material plane. This corpse-matter became known as Ichor. Quickly man realized that Ichor could imbue creatures with potent superhuman powers. Strength, constitution, speed, reflexes - all heightened beyond mortal limits with the ingestion of this matter. This led to many animals surrounding areas of Ichor turning into mad monsters. Wailing three-headed bears would now roam the woods and humans did not have much of a response for it.

However, this also marked the beginning of what would allow humanity to bounce back. Some people began consuming Ichor themselves in order to gain some of that power. Although it often lead to them losing their mind, they did become powerful warriors.

Scions

Some creatures who consumed wild amounts of Verve became something different entirely - Scions. Unthinkably powerful creatures who at this point, were there nearest thing to Godhood in the world. These monsters posed a sizable threat to humanity and were the reason for much of the destruction of the former human society.

Fey

Around this time a powerful order of Scions known as the Court of Daggers created the Fey. A magical people who were fiercely loyal to the Court of Daggers. The Court was, of course, hellbent on wiping out humanity and Fey aided in this.

The combination of lesser monsters, Scions, and Fey meant that there was little humanity could do in terms of regaining a footing in the world.

The Founding Years

(153 AG to 217AG)

The Sunless Years eventually came to a close. Humanity began having a better understanding of Ichor through studying the Fey. At this point humanity posed a sizable threat - for others it was a bit like fighting a cornered, rabid cat. Every ruin from the eastern woods to the western mountains was occupied by a wild group of Ichor-fueled, mad, soldiers.

Four Kingdoms

It was now that the Four Kingdoms was established. It was The Kingdom of Geld, The Iron Banks, The Kingdom of Greywood, and The Vodi Kingdom. What was once just a few scattered tribes of humans became cities, then nations, and then an alliance. Scions, although still powerful, did not dare to attack the four nations all together, and for once humanity could begin fighting back against the Fey. Humanity had a corner marked out for themselves again, at last.

Konsearna

Following the founding of the Four Kingdoms. The Court founded their own Fey nation to express human opposition. This nation layed far to the east and was known as Konsearna. The war continued. Most fey, at this point, were within the borders of the human nations. Engaging in guerilla-like warfare.

Verve

Verve was then discovered by humans. They did this primarily through studying Scions and Fey. Verve was this unknown substance which seemed to imbue things with magic. Slowly mages became a thing again. Humans had little regard for themselves, a poor understanding of Verve but a fierce fighting spirit which led to them being crazed but potent spellcasters.

The Great Hunt

(217 AG to 373 AG)

With humanity gaining power what followed was a widespread culling of Fey within the borders of the Four Kingdoms. These bloody years were known was the Great Hunt. Year 217 is marked as the beginning of this year - this was when an official announcement was made in the four Crowns that no Fey shall be tolerated within these borders.

Establishing Borders

Up until this point the Fey war effort had been scattered. Yes there was the Nation of Konsearna but other than that there were several Fey tribes hiding within the four crowns who would continuously wage war on individual towns or cities and get away with it. However during these years each human nation founded a strong militia and hunted the Fey to extinction. It was then that a proper war front started forming between Greywood and Konsearna - this is still the front that is being fought over today.

Discovering Magic

It was around this time that humanity began understanding souls better. Previosuly, man had discoevered Verve and learnt to harness it. However this was an incredibly dangerous practice and often led to mages dying or going mad. Souls were the key to human magic - people with a soul were able to much more safely manipulate Verve. Although limits are still in place - most mages are able to harness Verve without going mad or dying now.

This only further strengthened the human populace.

Dissolution of the Vodi Kingdom

It was during this era that for an unknown reason relations between the Vodi Kingdom and the other three nations bean to worsen. It got to the point where a war broke out and the Vodi Kingdom was broken up and its land taken by the other three. The Vodi as a people still exist and inhabit this land but are not treated very well by the other kingdoms.

The Rebirth of Magic

(353 AG to current day)

The Rebirth of Magic is marked by the founding of Blumoor College in the Kingdom of Geld. This is the first place in all of the Cradle which offers, among several other studies, the option to study magic and become a state sanctioned mage. This was in part founded so that the Kingdom of Geld could offer something more of value to the war efforts in the form of well trained, safe, wizards. This age is marked by further human expansion and innovation and several political changes in the Cradle's nations.

The War

The War wages on as always. The border does not move much in this age - it seems that Konsearna and the human nations are at a standstill, either side waiting for the innovation which will give them the upper hand.

Abolitions and Reformation

Political change is happening - with the stalemate in the east nations begin looking inward for potential solutions. The Kingdom of Geld is ravaged by a civil war which eventually led to the dissolution of the kingdom and construction of the People's Republic of Geld. It then promptly began withdrawing from the war.

Down south a new kingdom formed and joined the alliance. The Council of Oars - traders, sailors, and artisans along the coast and through the archipelago finally unite and recreate the old four crown alliance. The Council of Oars is a fresh and chaotic nation and everyone's eyes are on them and their potential to change the war.