The Splintered Realms
1192 Post Cataclysm
The Splintered Realms, as our forebears named them, is a world shaped by cycles of creation, destruction, and renewal. From the vast history of its peoples to the fragmented echoes of its gods, Edegan is as much a land of mysteries as it is one of stories. Allow me, dear reader, to guide you through the foundations of this realm, a journey through its history, culture, and lingering questions.
The Shaping of Edegan: Gods and Splinters
To understand Edegan, one must begin with the Domains—what mortals often call gods, though they are far more complex. The Domains are not beings in the traditional sense but manifestations of the very forces that sustain existence: Forge, Nature, Light, Death, Void, and others. These powers are made tangible through vessels—those mortals or entities capable of channeling their might.
Edegan’s history is irrevocably tied to the splintering of Nature and the binding of Arcana, cataclysms that reshaped not only magic but the very geography of the realm. Nature, fractured into countless Archfey, withdrew into the twin moons of Arboreum and Sharikun, severing direct ties to Edegan. Arcana, whose unchecked power once allowed mortals to twist reality itself, was shackled, leaving magic limited and its practitioners scrambling to adapt.
Void, the antithesis of creation, remains a whispered fear. Its splinter, unleashed through mortal hubris and Fey meddling, still lingers in the darkest corners, spreading corruption and feeding cycles of destruction.
The Ages of Edegan: From Creation to Cataclysm
Edegan’s history unfolds across four distinct ages, each defined by moments of triumph, transformation, and tragedy. These eras shape the present world and its lingering mysteries.
The First Age (The Unbound Arcana)
A time of raw, limitless magic, where the Domain Arcana allowed mortals to wield power beyond comprehension. During this era, civilizations rose swiftly, reshaping the land and creating wonders that defied nature itself. It was an age of unchecked ambition, but its glories came at great cost.
The First Age ended in catastrophe with the binding of Arcana and the splintering of Nature, events that severed the old world’s foundation. The floodwaters from the fractured moons reshaped Edegan’s geography, plunging the land into chaos. From this destruction, a new age emerged.
The Second Age (The Age of Empires)
This was the golden age of mortal civilization. The dwarves, rising from their shattered past, built an empire that stretched beneath the entire continent through their interconnected Deeproads. Their mastery of Durunite, gifted by the Forge Father, allowed them to construct wonders such as the Warforged and great cities like Undaken and Morilain.
Above the ground, the Mageocracy of Ancion rose to power, with every citizen practicing magic as a way of life. They built towering spires and enchanted cities, driven by a relentless pursuit of magical progress. Yet, their rivalry with the dwarves over the sacred Durunite created tensions that would culminate in a devastating war.
The Second Age is remembered as a time of wonder and innovation but also of growing pride and hubris. The seeds of the Cataclysmic Age were sown in the reckless ambition of these great empires.
The Cataclysmic Age (The Age of Despair)
The catastrophic arrival of Void’s splinter, unleashed by the Shadow Fey’s curse, marked the dawn of the Cataclysmic Age. The Darakhul Plague began in the heart of Ancion, turning its mighty Archmagi into undead lords bound to Void’s call. The plague spread unchecked, consuming cities and kingdoms, including much of the dwarven empire.
For nearly a thousand years, Edegan descended into darkness. Civilization collapsed, and the remnants of the once-great empires retreated into isolated strongholds. The Deeproads became infested with Darakhul, while the Cursed Wastes, once the heart of Ancion, turned into a desolate, haunted land.
The Post-Cataclysmic Age (The Age of Rebirth)
The current age, now reckoned as 1192 Post-Cataclysm (PC), is a time of rebuilding and rediscovery. The surviving Dwarven citadels have reconnected to some extent, but their empire remains fragmented. Surface communities like the Valley Dwarves and River Dwarves have forged new paths, adapting to life in a changed world.
Meanwhile, Torrum has risen as a dominant force, blending technological innovation with the remnants of arcane knowledge. Yet the scars of the past remain, from the lingering Darakhul threat in the Cursed Wastes to the fractured remnants of the Fey Courts, whose politics continue to ripple into the mortal world.
The Post-Cataclysmic Age holds promise but is haunted by the legacies of the past—ruins, artifacts, and the ever-present shadow of Void. Will this age see the rebirth of greatness or the return of destruction?
Magic and the Modern Age
Magic, once limitless, now bears the weight of Arcana’s binding. What was once an art of infinite possibilities has become rigidly structured, with spells bound by rules that scholars are still unraveling. The Forge of Creation, a gift from the Domain Forge to the Dwarves, remains one of the last known relics capable of crafting constructs like the Warforged, though its secrets have been lost.
Yet, for all its constraints, magic remains central to life in Edegan. From the Stonescript Calendar of the Dwarves to the enchanted trade routes that sustain Torrum, arcane knowledge continues to evolve, shaped by necessity and ambition.
Conclusion
Edegan is a realm defined by its dualities—creation and destruction, magic and science, life and decay. It is a land where the past’s mistakes loom over the present, and where the choices of mortals, Fey, and gods alike continue to shape the cycles of its history.
As we stand in this Post-Cataclysmic Age, one thing is clear: the Splintered Realms hold stories yet untold, secrets yet unearthed, and dangers yet faced. To those brave enough to seek them, the rewards—and the risks—are beyond measure.
May the balance of the All-Mother guide you, the light of the Forge Father protect you, and the whispers of Arcana illuminate your path.