History of Aranor
Prewritten History - 500 AC The Age of the Architects
Aranor’s early years are often called the Age of the Architects and was a golden era in Aranor’s history, defined by the immense magical power and benevolent stewardship of the Architects. These godlike beings wove leylines of pure magic into the land, creating a harmonious world where life flourished, and civilizations thrived. Under their guidance, forests, rivers, and cities flourished, sustained by the energy of the leylines. The Architects’ mastery was reflected in wonders like The Shattered Ice, a region of elemental purity, and The Silver Sea, a vast enchanted body of water. Their greatest achievement, the Sky Gate, bridged dimensions, enabling trade and cultural exchange across worlds. Temples and monuments were built in their honor, celebrating their role as caretakers of balance and prosperity. However, as time passed, some Architects grew weary of their stewardship, leading to divisions among them. These fractures would eventually plant the seeds of strife that disrupted their harmonious rule. Despite this, their legacy of creation and balance still echoes through Aranor’s history, shaping its landscapes and the lives of its people.
500-700 AC The Sundering War
The Sundering War was a cataclysmic conflict ignited by The Silent King, a powerful sorcerer and dissident Architect who sought to dominate Aranor by harnessing the leylines for eternal life and limitless power. Leading the Obsidian Order, he turned against his kin, unleashing unspeakable forces that corrupted the land and warped reality. The Architects loyal to balance and harmony fought valiantly, but the cost of their resistance was immense. The war reached its climax at the Sky Gate, a monumental structure of immense magical significance. The last battle shattered the Sky Gate, sending destructive waves across Aranor and fracturing the land into twisted regions. Shade’s Encampment and Roude, the Silent King’s dark stronghold, became cursed wastelands, tainted by the echoes of war. The leylines themselves were corrupted, creating rifts that left entire regions desolate. Tarnum, the Silent King, sought not only dominion over magic but also mastery over death. He unleashed an undead army, spreading chaos and destruction across Aranor. Heroes rose to oppose him: Seraphine of Elburh wielded the Blade of Final Rest, while Kaelan Star-Eye and Eryndor the Beastlord defended the cities and wilderness. Despite their bravery, the war devastated the continent, leaving scars that would never heal. In the last battle, Tarnum was defeated as the Architects made a final sacrifice, using the last of their power to seal his spirit and stabilize the corrupted leylines. Their act came at the ultimate cost, leaving the remaining Architects weakened and fading into legend. The world, now fragmented, bore the permanent marks of their sacrifice. The aftermath of the Sundering War transformed Aranor forever. Once a harmonious paradise, it became a patchwork of magical fluxes, haunted ruins, and twisted landscapes. Though the Silent King was vanquished, his legacy of destruction and the scars of his betrayal still linger, shaping the challenges faced by future generations. The Sundering War reshaped Aranor into a fractured and unstable land. The corrupted leylines, once the lifeblood of the world, became volatile, creating regions where magic surged unpredictably. Areas like Shade’s Encampment turned into dangerous wastelands, while Roude, the former seat of the Silent King, became a haunting monument to the war’s destruction. The lands closest to these tainted areas suffered the most, with entire ecosystems collapsing or twisting into unnatural forms. The destruction also devastated the mortal civilizations that had once thrived under the Architects’ stewardship, forcing them into a long, painful recovery. The legacy of the war extended beyond physical damage. The Architects, who had once been revered as divine caretakers, were left broken and diminished. Their sacrifice to seal the Silent King’s spirit and stabilize the leylines drained their power, causing them to fade into obscurity or retreat entirely from mortal affairs. Their absence left a vacuum, and without their guidance, mortals were left to rebuild a world rife with uncertainty and danger. This new era, marked by resilience and rediscovery, also carried the shadows of the past. The echoes of the Silent King’s ambition lingered, and the undead and corrupted magic he unleashed continued to haunt Aranor. His cult, the Obsidian Order, persisted in secret, vowing to one day restore their master and his dark vision of eternity. Yet, during this turmoil, new heroes and civilizations rose to meet the challenges of a transformed world. From the ruins of the Sundering, the seeds of resilience were sown, shaping the struggles and triumphs that would define Aranor's future.
700-1200 AC The Age of Rebirth
In the aftermath of the Sundering War, Aranor was left scarred and without its divine guardians, forcing mortals to reclaim and rebuild their fractured world. This period became known as the Age of Rebirth, a time of great perseverance and ingenuity. With the Architects gone and the leylines still unstable, humans, elves, dwarves, and other races banded together to confront the lingering chaos. The foundations of a new world were laid as societies formed and leaders emerged to inspire hope and guide the shattered land toward recovery. The city of Donimroth, known as the Sentinel City, was established on a leyline nexus, symbolizing resilience, and innovation. Revering the teachings of Thalos, the Shaper of Fire and Forge, its people embraced a disciplined lifestyle of craftsmanship, creating enchanted tools and weapons to protect against the remnants of the Sundering’s devastation. Across the mountains, Elburh, the City of Seven Walls, rose as an unbreakable bastion against the darkness emanating from Roude, the Silent King’s cursed domain. Built by the combined efforts of warriors and architects, Elburh became a rallying point for those dedicated to defending Aranor from the lingering forces of necromancy. Meanwhile, the elves of Wyndalan established their city in the west as a sanctuary of wisdom and nature magic. Deeply connected to the teachings of the Architects, the elves sought to preserve what remained of the natural balance and the knowledge of the leylines. In the south, Satun, the city of the Sapphire Flame, became a center of arcane study and exploration. Scholars, guided by the newly formed Azure Order, flocked to its towers to unravel the mysteries of the still active leylines, working tirelessly to stabilize their volatile power. As these cities flourished, new institutions emerged to maintain order and safeguard Aranor from further devastation. The Wardens of the Veil, followers of Eldris, the Veiled Guardian, became protectors of the sanctity of death, hunting necromancers and purifying cursed lands. The Circle of Eryndor guarded the wilds, ensuring the balance between nature and civilization was preserved. The Silent Quill chronicled the events of the Sundering, preserving knowledge and recovering lost relics from the ruins of the past. These organizations played crucial roles in shaping the Age of Rebirth, guiding mortals as they rebuilt their lives. Yet, shadows lingered even in this time of renewal. In secret, the Cult of the Obsidian Order worked to revive Tarnum, the Silent King, believing that his return would bring ultimate power and dominion over death. Necromancers like Ophira the Revenant Queen sought to exploit the fractured leylines for their own dark purposes, creating new horrors to plague the land. The corrupted regions, such as Shade’s Encampment and Roude, remained untamed, their magical anomalies serving as constant reminders of the Sundering’s devastation. Despite these challenges, heroes rose to lead the charge against darkness and chaos. Figures like Lyra of the Quill, who chronicled the history of the Sundering, Galen Firehand, who rediscovered ancient forging techniques, and Fendrel the Pathfinder, who charted the unclaimed lands, became symbols of resilience and hope. Their deeds inspired mortals to press onward, reclaiming lands, building alliances, and pushing the boundaries of what was possible. The Age of Rebirth was a time of both hardship and triumph, where the seeds of Aranor’s future were planted, and the strength of its people was tested against the shadows of its haunted past.
1200-1400 AC The War of the Ember Sun
Over time, forgotten records of the Sundering War and legends of the Silent King evolved into myth. In dark corners of Aranor, a secret society called the Obsidian Order reemerged, claiming to have unearthed the lost teachings of the Silent King. They believed that by reigniting the power of Tarnum, they could transform themselves into immortal beings and restore Aranor to a “greater glory.” The Order grew in influence, infiltrating royal courts and powerful guilds. Shadows lengthened across the lands as strange rituals were performed in the wild, and disappearances in rural villages became common. In Roude, the cursed city, the Order built secret temples, seeking to reawaken the magic of the Silent King. Rumors of the Order’s activities reached Elburh, prompting the rulers to send a crusade to cleanse the corrupted lands. This campaign, known as the War of the Ember Sun, was fierce and brutal. Cultists unleashed ancient spells, summoning creatures from beyond the veil, and entire armies were lost in Roude’s shadow. Eventually, the Order was driven into hiding, but not destroyed. Many believe their leaders escaped to the depths of Shade’s Encampment, awaiting a chance to return.
1400-1600 AC The Age of Kings
With the Obsidian Order weakened, the kingdoms of Aranor entered a new age of prosperity, focusing on trade, exploration, and knowledge. This period, called the Age of Kings, saw technological and magical advancements as civilizations learned to harness controlled fragments of the leylines. Satun, the City of the Sapphire Flame, pioneered innovations in leyline magic, allowing scholars to safely tap into magical energies for healing, agriculture, and defense. Trade blossomed across The Silver Sea, connecting distant lands, and spreading knowledge. Explorers ventured into the frozen wastes of The Shattered Ice, uncovering relics from the time of the Architects, though some found only death in the hostile expanse. Donimroth expanded its influence as the Sentinel City as the League of Artisans crafted and traded across Aranor. Wyndalan became a sanctuary for nature and history, attracting druids and scholars who sought to preserve ancient knowledge. Despite these advancements, there were frequent omens of danger: storms that lingered unnaturally over Roude, sightings of spectral figures near Shade’s Encampment, and wild magic surges in the land. Yet, these warnings were often ignored or dismissed as mere superstitions.
1600 AC – 1900 The Age of Expansion
With civilization restored, Aranor entered an era of discovery, growth, and renewed ambition known as the Age of Expansion. Maritime explorers from cities like Satun and Wyndalan ventured across the Silver Sea, uncovering lost islands, forgotten ruins, and ancient tribes who had survived the Sundering in isolation. Meanwhile, aerial pioneers charted the skies, navigating leyline currents and unlocking new trade routes that connected distant regions. This period saw unprecedented prosperity, with bustling coastal towns thriving on commerce and innovation. The seas were both a boon and a battleground. The Stormborn Corsairs, worshipers of Aeris, the Stormbringer, embodied the unpredictable nature of the waters, serving as both protectors of trade and fearsome raiders. Their code of honor made them both allies and adversaries, depending on the tides. Meanwhile, the Skyguard, a disciplined order of aerial defenders, safeguarded settlements from threats like frost wyrms and aerial raiders emerging from the Shattered Ice, ensuring the skies remained open for exploration and trade. As settlers expanded into uncharted territories, they faced tension with the Circle of Eryndor, who viewed unchecked growth as a threat to the balance of nature. Forests were cleared, rivers diverted, and mountains mined, stirring conflict with the druids and their nature-aligned allies. Despite these disputes, collaboration emerged, with treaties struck to ensure sustainable development. Settlers and druids worked together to preserve sacred sites and maintain harmony between civilization and the wilds. However, even as mortals pushed the boundaries of exploration, whispers of ancient dangers grew louder. The Cult of the Obsidian Order, emboldened by a renewed belief in Tarnum’s return, sought to revive the Silent King’s power from the cursed lands of Roude. Meanwhile, rogue factions like the Guild of Shadows and the Iron Mask destabilized cities with espionage, sabotage, and schemes to manipulate Aranor’s fragile peace. Corrupted leylines and cursed regions, remnants of the Sundering War, remained untamed and harbored dark magic that threatened to unravel the progress of the Age. Amid these challenges, new heroes emerged to protect Aranor. Figures like Cailen Stormblade defended coastal towns from sea monsters and raiders, while Seraphim Hallowheart worked to foster peace among warring factions, ensuring that expansion did not devolve into chaos. Darius Runehand, a master of leyline magic, sought to unravel the mysteries of the corrupted leylines, using his knowledge to stabilize the magical foundation of the land. Together, these heroes embodied the resilience of Aranor’s people, confronting not only the dangers of the present but the lingering shadows of the past. The Age of Expansion became a defining chapter in Aranor’s history, marked by both hope and peril. It was a time of unprecedented opportunity, yet one where ancient threats and mortal ambitions collided, forging a future balanced on the edge of growth and destruction.
1900-Present AC The Era of Shadows Stirring
As Aranor approaches its third written millennium, the world teeters on the brink of upheaval. The Cult of the Obsidian Order has reemerged, driven by prophecies of the Silent King’s return. Working in secret, they gather powerful artifacts and perform dark rituals, while disturbances in the leylines—manifesting as magical storms and spontaneous portals—stoke fears that Tarnum’s ancient prison is weakening. Across the land, unease grows as these omens suggest that a confrontation with the past is imminent. Political and natural tensions also escalate. In the south, the cities of Satun and Donimroth compete for dominance, each vying to shape Aranor’s future. Elburh, ever the bastion against darkness, fortifies its defenses in anticipation of an invasion from the cursed lands of Roude. Meanwhile, the druids of Wyndalan warn of a growing imbalance in nature, sensing a disturbance that could unravel the very fabric of the world. As the Silent King’s shadow grows, Aranor faces an era defined by ancient powers and mortal decisions. The peace of the past is over, and the dawn of a new age, fraught with peril and opportunity, rises. The people of Aranor must confront their haunted legacy and choose whether to reclaim their past or forge an uncertain future.
The Future of Aranor
Aranor stands at a crossroads. Its people have rebuilt, its heroes protect, and its gods guide. Yet, as the Cult of the Obsidian Order stirs and the leylines grow restless, ancient powers threaten to rise again. New heroes must rise to face these challenges, forging alliances across the pantheon and the many factions of the land.
The world of Aranor is one of light and shadow, creation, and destruction, where every choice shapes the land’s destiny. What stories will be told in the next chapter? That remains for its adventurers to decide.