Reinsidorian History
The history of Reinsidor is that of races that rise to dominate all, and then fall into obscurity. This cycle has repeated itself hundreds of times. The eldest race still in existance that once dominated Reinsidor were Dragons. How they gained dominance is a mystery, but many speculate that the invention of magic had something to do with it. Who they deposed remains shrouded in shadows and is not likely to be discovered any time soon. What is known of the Dragon's fall is that divisions among among appeared over the fate of faithful servants created through magic. A terrible civil war known as the Dragon War ensued, and when the dust settled the Dragons had thinned their numbers and other races emerged to dominate Reinsidor.
The Yuan-ti, Lizardmen and Mind Flayers all dominated Reinsidor at one time or another. The tales of their ascendancy and fall are legend. The remnants of their once proud civilizations, are nothing but common dungeons these days. Following in their steps were the humans, a bold, young race with an appetite for knowledge and power. Like all races before them, they rose to dominance, using the knowledge of those that came before as stepping stones to climb to the greatest heights or power.
Not all races have used their knowledge to gain dominance over all others, however. Some races prefer to remain on the sidelines, keeping their civilizations as isolated as possible from all others, or subservient to another race. These civilizations have endured far longer than those that shine very brightly for a short time have. The elves, gnomes and orcs have all remained constants throughout Reinsidor’s history, never achieving greatness, but never completely disappearing either.
The Dragon War and the advent of Magic
Dragons are creature of Magic. It courses through their very being. It is believed that Dragons uncovered the secrets of the Arcane to fight back against foes armed with the power of the very gods. Whatever their foe was, it made Dragons tremble. In the end, however, Dragons prevailed over their unknown ancestors, and created a civilization that shined over Ancient Reinsidor for millenia.
At the apex of Dragon civilization, Dragons started imbuing magic onto other creatures, creating servant races to tend to their chores. It then came as a surprise when one race, considered little more than trained automatons, showed signs of intelligence. The race we now know as elves, were created to please dragons with songs and music, and so, it had a closer look at Dragon society, and more importantly, at magic. Through study and observation, Elves learned to imitate in exacting details the Art that came naturally to Dragons. Eventually, they dared ask for their freedom, to live among the woods, and as equals to the race that had sired them.
This was the catalyst to the Dragons' fall. Their race split in half over what the fate of the elves should be. The mayority of the Colored Dragons wanted the elves exterminated as a precaution, lest Dragonkind suffer the fate of their own ancestors. On the other hand, almost all Metallic Dragons wanted to grant the elves their wish, pointing to the colored dragons that long ago, they themselves had fought for their own freedom. The civil war that ensued took the life of countless dragons. Elves, soon sided with the Metallic Dragons in defense of their own freedom and lives, but a faction of the elves thought the time ripe to vanquish all Dragons, and reign over Reinsidor themselves. Their plans were stopped by the rest of the elves, that forced the traitors to withdraw to the depths of the Underworld. Thus were the Drow born.
In the end, the Metallic Dragons claimed a bitter victory, for their civilization was in ruins, and other races besides the elves, were appearing over Reinsidor. Bitter in defeat, the Color Dragons turned resolutly evil, and swore revenge against their metallic brethren. In the centuries that followed, the Yuan-Ti, the Lizardmen, the Felines and the Illithid all constructed civilizations over the ashes of the Ancient Dragons' Empire.
The rise of Humanity
More civilizations flourished and died after that of the Dragons. 1700 years ago, the Illithid walked over the land, the sun darkened and cold by powerfull artifacts powered by the thoughts of the Elderbrains. These artifacts, known as Darkrift Crystals, also blocked the flow of magic throughout Reinsidor, leaving the powerful Psionics of the Illithid as the sole power to be tapped in the world.
The Illithids used many races as slaves, among them the humans, a young race, birthed in the fusion of the blood of Dwarves, Elves, Orcs and Felines. It was the humans who rediscovered the power that was granted by faith in beings greater than themselves. Human Clerics began freeing thralls in few numbers, hiding from the more powerfull Illithids as best they could. As their numbers grew, other races joined the fight against the Flayers of the Mind: The Felines, the Dwarves, the Halflings and the Gnomes all rallied under the Human banner, joining their strengths to that of the Humans.
The War against the Illithids grew into a stalemete until a Great Siver Wyrm sacrificed itself to destroy one of the Darkrift Crystals. The use of Arcane Magic returned like a rushing river, and then the Elves joined forces with the Humans as well, teaching all that cared to learn the ways of Wizardry... and had the ability to understand. Furthermore, as a side effect of the "Arcane Rush" that followed the destruction of the Darkrift Crystal, Sorcerors started appearing among all races not just Dragons. Gnomes, Dwarves and Halflings started worshiping other Deities, and found their prayers answerd with power. The Illithid War lasted 200 years. At the end, with the destruction of another Darkrift Crystal, the sun was restored to normality forcing the Illithids flee to the Underdark. They have remained mostly quiet for the past 1500 years, but the shadow of their return has always lurked near, causing uneasiness in all surface dwelling races.
After the war, it was obvious that the mantle of leadership should fall to the humans, who had lead the rebellion against the Illithid. The Humans founded the city of Astriol, a Draconic word that means "Enlightenment", and promised to rule fairly and evenly among all races, never to interfere in their own matters, a vow that would eventually lead to the Godswar.
The Return of the Drow and the Godswar
The reaparition of Arcane magic late in the war against the Illithids did more than just turn the tide in favor of the Coalition. It showed humans that there was power to be tapped inside themselves, and that the Gods that they worshiped were probably nothing but extremely powerful beings, no unlike Dragons or other magical creatures. But now humans had access to this power as well. Slowly, the Astriolian Kingdom lost its theocratic focus, and became dominated by Wizards and Sorcerors. It was then that the Age of Man began in earnest.
Humans used their magic knowledge to create artifacts that made life easier for all. Sinks conected to the Elemental Plane of Water, Floating orbs of continual Light, fireplaces conected to the Elemental Plane of Fire and chimneys connected to the Elemental Plane of Air. All that showed aptitude for the Art were trained. Mountain ranges were leveled with magic to make space for new settlements. Soon The Circle, the council that ruled Astriol, became a place where only Wizards could gain access to.
And once again, at the apex of the achievments of one race, fate beckoned. The Drow, the elves that long ago betrayed the Metallic Dragons and were forced to live under the earth, returned in great numbers, with a score to settle against their light brothers. It was a daunting battle, one which the elves of light were losing. They asked the humans for help against the Dark Elves, but the humans remebered the old Bloodoath never to intervene in the internal affairs of any race, such as civil war among one of their former allies. In the eyes of the Humans, the Drow were just as elven as the Sun Elves that had taught them the use of magic 900 years ago, and were prohibited from intervening by they own vows.
The Sun elves knew they were loosing, and it was then that the Sun Elves did what they had never done before: They called out to the Reinsidorian Pantheon for help. They prayed and hoped with such...faith, that the Gods of Righteusness and Valour felt compelled to intervene. Their avatars appeared on Trayador valley, as though if destiny had macabre a sense of humor. The Sun Elves rallied behind their newfound allies and drove the Dark ones back. But the gods of Hate and Spite had also found worthy children on Reinsidor, ones that could carry their word across the World. And like a domino effect, more and more gods started to intervene in this seemingly minor internal conflct of a single race.
The fall of humanity, the end of the Godswar and the Shattering
The human's downfall came from their own arrogance. Soon the Elven civil war escalated into a full blown conflict between Good and Evil. Eventually most races in Reinsidor took sides in the great conflict. The humans from Astriol, being the most powerful of races at the time, were courted by both sides of the conflict for support, but they chose to support neither. Instead, the Circle hoped to reap great benefits from letting the gods fight amongst themselves, and rise to replace those that fell in battle. On the 7th day of the 7th month of the 902nd year of human rule, the forces of good and evil met again in the valley of Trayador, known as the valley of Fate since that day.
The battle that ensued was cataclysmic. Angels, Devils and Dragons all fought that day. Orcs and Dwarves clashed in battle, elves both light and dark fought one another. And the gods themselves fought on in a battle of wills. The only race with no serious representation on the battlefield were the humans, for they had plans of their own. The Archmages of ancient Reinsidor hoped that the gods would destroy each other in the climatic battle of the valley, and so through their power and knowledge, they would trap the essence of dying gods within themselves, and so ascend as the new deities of Reinsidor.
It was not to be. Through the power unleashed by the Archmages’ spell the sky darkened and the earth trembled. Entire mountain ranges were split asunder, volcanoes long dormant awoke. It rained fire and brimstone. It was as if the end of the world was ahead. And it would have been, had not the gods of goodness intervened to absorb within themselves the colossal destructive power of the spell. Doing so weakened them just enough that their enemies were able to destroy them in the chaos that ensued. From that day forward, the light that opposed the darkness has shined ever dimmer. Evil cults have grown unchecked, only the competition between the various churches preventing them from being even more powerful.
The grand continent of Celene was no more. Through the force of the Archmages’ spell Celene split into innumerable small islands, many of which remain uncharted and unexplored. The various survivors banded together to rebuild their civilization, and soon new nations formed, as self defense treaties between various islands were sealed.
And like a dark omen, two new moons appeared in the night sky. Like the giant red eyes of some unbelievably huge monster, they have gazed down upon the world ever since the Day of the Shattering.
Recent Events
It is now 600 years after the shattering. New races have begun to walk the realms. Adapted to the new world that appeared, creatures of the sea have begun to encroach on solid land. The monstrous Sahuagin fight against the decadent humans in a war of dominance, which they seem to be gaining little by little as though the dawn of a new race is at hand. Monsters of the sea, relatively few in number, have begun to multiply out of control, increasing in size, aggressiveness and frequency. Even the dreaded Kraken has been much too active as of late.
The last bastions of human dominance remain distrustful of each other, and some are actively engaged in war between them. To escape the tides of a losing war against the Sahuagin, the Wizards of Astriol have chosen to place their last bet in the creation of floating islands. Eight islands have left the surface of cursed Reinsidor and float guided only by the wind.
Nota: DEBO ESTABLECER UN CALENDARIO
Go back