Hello traveler... Don't look that way, one would think you'd never seen an Obsidiman before. Oh, you haven't? It seems like ages now, but there was a time only a few years ago that I'd never seen one of your kind either. I don't want to get ahead of myself though, and with you being new here, maybe I should tell you a little bit about my homeland... its inhabitants, its history...
Well, for starters, you're in the Thunder Mountains, deep within this valley rests the Life Rock, where the Obsidimen commune with the earth. If you should go to see it, please remember it is sacred and be respectful, there are those name-givers that don't understand. Should you climb higher into the mountains, you will get some idea of the expanse of Barsaive. Its western border extends farther than an elf can see, even from that height on a clear day like this. I've had to cross a great deal of it in my travels, and it's not a simple feat. The Thunder Mountains are very close to the southeastern border. If you value your life and your freedom, you would do well to stay away from the south, for there the Theran Empire holds sway. Were it not for the combined efforts of the whole of Barsaive, the oppressive hand of the empire might be felt even here.
The story? Well, that begins a long time ago, over a thousand years, before the last Scourge. You see, the magical energies of this world were in a state of change, waxing and waning over the centuries. Historians of the past recorded that when the magical energies were at their highest, horrific beings from the astral plane could gain entry to our world and wreak havoc, destroying and corrupting everything they touched. As the magical energies weakened, one by one these beings were forced to return from whence they came until they were gone. We call them The Horrors and when they gain entry to this plane, it is called a Scourge. Before the last Scourge, it became apparent that the magical energies were approaching levels that would allow Horrors to enter the world again. This time the name-givers would be prepared for the Horrors' coming.
The Horrors are powerful, many were strong enough to crush entire kingdoms, so direct confrontation was impossible. The Theran Empire was the first to find a course of action that would thwart them: the Therans would construct Kaers of elements and seal themselves away from the Horrors until the Scourge ended. Such Kaers constructed of elemental Earth, Fire, Air, and Water would in theory deny the Horrors entrance and frustrate their rampage. Many other nations followed suit, including the Kingdom of Throal. Some Kaers were crafted with other plans in mind. The Wizards of Parlainth, the lost city, erased knowledge of the city from the minds of the populace and disappeared. The city has reappeared, but it seems that the idea was a failure; the city was decimated during the Scourge. The elves of the Bloodwood are also casualties of the Scourge, for they sealed their Kaer with elemental wood only to have it breached by Horrors. Discovering that the powerful Horrors fed from the pain they themselves inflicted, the elves used terrible blood magic to force thorns through their skin so that they live in constant suffering. They are called the Blood Elves, and they are of no use to the Horrors that feed on suffering. Such a price to pay.
I forget myself, though.
This story revolves around two powers: The Theran Empire and The Dwarven Kingdom of Throal. Kaers were being sealed with the onset of the Scourge very near, but more than a few cities and kingdoms waited to catch the last stragglers and refugees. This is how many Kaers were breached by Horrors who came in these last waves. Indeed, a Horror made its way into Throal's Kaer but was detected and defeated soon after the Kaer was sealed. The years of the Scourge passed slowly and uncertainly. In Throal, without the Theran presence nearby, the Dwarves began to discuss the rights that all name-givers possess in clear opposition to the doctrine held by the Theran slavers. The Dwarven language was to be made standard during those years because the Dwarves had the foresight to preserve their knowledge and culture. As time passed, both Thera and Throal watched impatiently as the elemental earth dropped lower and lower towards the elemental water in the magical device specified in the histories which measured the magic of the earth. When the energies had waned completely the two elements would collide, signifying that there was not enough energy left to support the Horrors. But that never happened. For some reason the magical energies had stabilized, an event never before recorded in history. The watchers of Throal were the first to notice that the earth had stopped dropping and Throal was the first to act decisively. Throal sent their bravest adventurers out into the ravaged land to determine if any Horrors still remained. At first few came back, but as time progressed it was discovered that the earth was recovering. That was when the Legendary airship, The Earthdawn was released. It returned to report that the world would soon be inhabitable, then left, never to be seen in Throal again. Nevertheless, the Kaer was opened. So it was that The Kingdom of Throal emerged from hibernation, roughly 30 years before The Theran Empire would take action.
So Barsaive had a taste of freedom again, with the Dwarven Kingdom at its center. When the Theran Empire finally returned to reclaim its territory, it found a very different situation than expected. The Empire determined to break the rebellious spirit of the Barsaivians, but in its harsh attacks it set the stage for perhaps the first Theran defeat ever. When the Theran Overlord's plans were uncovered and the Barsaivians realized that they were all to be exterminated or enslaved, they knew they had no choice but to band together. The incoming Theran armies were met with raiding orks and elves, the Theran airships were beset by the descendants of Crystal Raiders they had left behind when they wiped out the Raider's traditional homeland in the Twilight Peaks. Windling and T'Skrang, Human and Dwarf, all used their individual talents within the united effort of Barsaive to stop the Therans. The overlord attempted to destroy the Barsaivians will by crushing the nation of Throal, but he was unable to make it that far. Taking tremendous casualties and finding itself trapped and helpless, the Theran army scatters to the winds.
The story does not end there, however. That is why we live in freedom today, but tomorrow is another matter. Already the Therans have regrouped and are even now sending their gigantic airships, the behemoths, into strategic areas of Barsaive. They will not make the same mistake twice. Only the reunited effort of the whole of Barsaive will turn them back again.
Get your own Free Home Page