The First Years of the First Age: The Fall of Rethren

As the Arch Demons fell Rethren built himself a kingdom. He stood here and ruled until his assassination by a political rival. He was a corrupt leader, selling his own people to slavery in barbaric lands that were still recovering from demonic rule. Scholars made great strides in these first few years, copying what was left in the Demons’ ruin. This should have guaranteed the Rethren Empire a place in the heavens themselves, but for their leader. He spent the treasuries of Rethren on drink and lustful endevors, importing consorts and whores for his own pleasure. Soon the people revolted and threw down the shackles of their oppressor. His name has been stricken from the records and no one to this day knows the name of the man who brought down the Empire.

The spring after the First Revolution, the quickly rising Yetereth Empire stormed the borders in hordes, slaughtering the poorly managed Rethren armies and claiming it as a province of its great new power. The people of Rethren would be subjected to the will of this powerful empire for many generations to come.

Blood Rituals

Magic, or as it’s definition see it as, does not exist in this world. What does exist is a series of laws passed down by the Gods themselves. These are used through ancient scrolls and rituals which have the Gods’ touch on them. One section of these are the Blood Rituals, a dark and evil art set forward by the Creator of Demons: Jerith. Jerith believed that if one was willing to give up a piece of himself to the Gods, then he should be entitled to a reward. From this came the Blood Rituals of Power, allowing the Arch Demons to bind their enemies, and enslave them to further their own gains. Such knowledge has been lost in this age, though some carefully conceal what they know, seeing that this might save them another day.

The Chained

The Chained were once known as the Arch Demons. They ruled the known world before the time of the First Age. Humans then were as simple as any other animal. They were wild game, livestock, and simple slaughter. This continued until The Unification. This was the one time in history Ledre ever united under one flag. Humans, led by the High King Rethren, hence the name of the province now bearing it, confronted the Hordes of Arch Demons at the Plains of Harrowing. It was here, that Rethren, sacrificed his eldest son, to invoke a blood ritual, whose history is older than the demons even recall. In this ritual the demonic powers that kept the Arch Demons bound to their bodies were severed, binding the souls to the Royal Blood instead. This should have been an unbinding contract with the Gods, however this has not been the case.

Battle of Grethorin

And so we fought, not for money or for glory, but for our families and homeland we wanted our children to see. We wanted to look up from the heav’ns to see our children’s children playing in the streets of Dagfar, in the waters of Hurreson, and in the Harmonic Woods. This was our dream, and we would achieve it, though not in my life time I believe

The Battle of Grethorin was the final battle in the War of Freedoms for the people of Retheren as they fought the Tyranny of the Yetereth Empire.  Though outnumbered a battalion of 6000 men fought off the armies resting only when the roads were so clogged of dead that the Yeterethians could not pass.  The legends say they fought for a week straight without respite, drinking their sweat and the blood of their enemies.  This terrified the armies of the Yetereth, but for Retherens, it was simple survival, they would fight to the death for their homelands and it was on this battlefield during the few respites, that the Poetry of the Damned began to appear for the first time

My Child I yearn to see thee
The black clouds of death and greed
We fight for mercy, apathy and freedom
We will die in this place
And we will be forgotten
By those who did love us
And By those who spat on us
We are the Damned
-Anonymous-

The crude poems inspired the people still in cities to rally towards their troops, the men; young and old took up their arms.  The women worked for the men, and the courage of the people of Retheren drove them off and in the 125^th year of the 2nd Age.  Retheren had their home, and have maintained until the 3rd Age

Map: Rethern

Map: Ledre

Navigating Prothorum

Prothorum is a smaller city on the coast of Rethern. Because of its small size, there is a large gap between the rich and poor castes. Fortunately the castes tend to get along quite well, with a large market for food which farmers are paid quite well for. The city was founded during The Great Expansion in the last age. It is the third largest city and the largest on the Eastern side of the country. When journeying in this area, you don’t have to worry about many hostilities; however there is a standard way of doing things as tradition is important in this city. It is uncommon to see the poor raise to the rich and the rich descend to the poor level. This is what Joshua did and is why he was rejected by his family. A word to the wise, never attempt to sway a Prothorim that he is wrong.

Dagfar: Finding your way around the Capital

By:  Lost in the Void

                Dagfar is an interesting place to live.  Because it is so close to the Castle and filled to the brim with Nobles, remains a place of heavy debate and the head of Politics in the nation.  There is close to 150 000 people in the city and surrounding area, though the city’s wealth is centered around 10 000 of them, those people either Noble or of the Shop Caste.   Peasants rent from the Lords who charge them extreme rent prices keeping the peasants weak.  In the last three years a rebellion group known as the Shingites have taken the hearts of the common folk by storm as they advocate for equality.  Because of the extreme political turmoil it is always wise to avoid talking about politics openly in the street as it could warrant an arrest

                The city found it’s roots in the founding on the country Rethern.  Because the tribes were finally uniting under one banner, they needed a common city that granted now favour to any Clan.   This place was chosen for it’s idea location from each tribes major city.