Nimrands Library - Guardainia World Info

"When the universe was created, there were two opposite energies, the light of discipline and order, and the darkness of chaos and deceit. These energies oppose each other like two tidal waves heading toward one another amid a storm. These two forces are locked in eternal combat until one destroys the other, tied by a single portal in the infinite abyss that separate the two worlds. Thus, they will fight forever, for it is said that for every nemesis, there will always be a hero..."
-Excerpt from Nimrand's Journal

Origins

The mystical land of Guardainia was born in a torrential storm of energies that ultimately formed the physical realm. There are four basic elements (Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water), that make up all that exists in the universe. From these elements formed two essential, but opposite forces, that which we call light and darkness. Each of these two forces repelled the other so strongly that it pulled the universe into two separate realms that are alike except that each world has its own predominant force. Only a single known portal links these two realms. The word "Guardainia" refers to the world that resides in the Realm of Light. This portal has been sealed shut for centuries, and time has eroded the memory of what lies on the other side of it.

The original race of Guardainia is now only known as the Ancients. Some of their monuments survive today, but mostly as rubble strewn across the ground. Much of what is intact, however, is covered in writing of some long forgotten language. Though some of their knowledge survives in folklore, their manuscripts can not be translated. Some believe that the Ancients had superior knowledge and wisdom that far surpasses that of any that is known today. It is unknown what caused the fall of this great and once prosperous race.

The Four Races

Today there are four surviving races: Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Gargoyles. Each race has its own cultures and societies.

Even though they are the youngest of the four races, the Humans have proven themselves to be the most industrious and diverse of the races. Their race spread across all the world of Guardainia, and their cultures vary almost as much as cultures vary from race to race. Humans have advanced technology comparable to that of the Dwarves. Their naval capabilities are unmatched, and a great deal of their success has been due to abundant trade. In addition to their technology, most of the Human societies have at least a general grasp of magic (in some cases an advanced ability towards it).

Dwarves are the most industrious of the races. Having spent so much of their history in war, they thrive on production and self-sufficiency. They're mining techniques have proven to be far more efficient than that of any other race's. The weapons and tools they produce are unparalleled in quality. The Dwarves have an unstable but mutually beneficial relationship with Humans. They often rely on nearby towns or ports to act as export markets or distributors. Often times Humans and Dwarves can be counted on to join forces when battle is evident. Their only major fallacy is that they have absolutely no magic. They believe only in the physical realm and that any tampering with magic is not only unproductive, but also foolhardy.

Elves are very territorial and secretive. They're society is very structured and rigid. Centuries of war have hardened their hearts and caused them not to trust outside intruders. Their towns are completely self-dependent, and often very fortified (even more so than the Dwarves). Other than a highly trained military and efficient societal structure, their greatest strength is their magic. Though it is rarely used, they seemed to have inherited much of the knowledge that the Ancients once possessed, and they guard it more fiercely than anything else they own. An elf would sooner die than tell any of his/her secrets.

The Gargoyles are the outcasts of Guardainia. They reside in the far corners of the planet in only a few small communities. Little is known of these creatures. They were forced off the mainlands long ago by the Elves. Since then, they have lived on their own with almost no contact from the outside world. They are winged creatures with dark skin and said to have incredible strength and agility.

History

Preface

Much of Guardainia's History has been lost in time. Catastrophes and chaos has destroyed much of the documentation of Guardainia's history. What is known is often shrouded in myth, uncertainties, and unknowns. Any account of history that occurred longer than a few centuries before is sketchy at best. The only way that many of the stories have been conserved is by the passing on of stories from one generation to the next.

The Beginning of the Great War

The earliest era that has any recorded history predates the evolution of Humans. At this time, the Dwarves and Gargoyles lived on the Eastern Continent, and the Elves and an unnamed race lived on the Western Continent. Neither of the two races on either continent was aware of the races that lived on the other continent. Dwarves eventually invented seaworthy ships capable of crossing the Great Sea. So, they embarked on an expedition to explore the other side of the Great Sea and see what lay beyond the horizon. What they found was the Elven race. The Elves were cautious, but friendly to the Dwarves at first. However, any hopes of peaceful contact between the Dwarves and Elves were soon foiled. The Elves had allies with an unknown race that resided on the Western Continent with them. Sometime shortly after the Dwarves arrived, it was discovered that their entire civilization had been killed. Every last member of this race had died simultaneously, without explanation. The Elves blamed the Dwarves, and thus began a war that would last nearly three millennia.

The Emergence of Humans

Sometime during the Great War, the Humans evolved and flourished. Though Humans tried to remain neutral in the war, they usually sided with the Dwarves. Towards the end of the war, it became a recognized fact that Humans and Dwarves were general allies. The fierce war began to calm over time, but no resolution to it was in sight. Finally, it was interrupted and forced to end with a great catastrophe.

A Great Catastrophe

Humans acquired an interest and fascination in magic early in the development in its culture. However, the Elves were the only race that had much knowledge of it. As a result, special groups of scholars and magicians began to form to study magic. The one most productive and elite of these societies was known as "The Order of Humim". Little is known of how exactly the catastrophe occurred, but it is certain that this organization is its origin. The Order of Humim had discovered how to open a portal to an alternate dimension. In this alternate dimension resided dragons, large, strong creatures with fiery breath. The magicians managed to gain the cooperation of the dragons (how they did this is not known), and it was planned that the dragons could serve as guardians for human towns and fortifications. No Elven army could stand to the might of a dragon. However, the plan somehow backfired and the magicians lost control of the dragons. They began on a rampage, destroying all civilization they came across, starting with the Order of Humim stronghold. There was not a single survivor of the Humim stronghold. That is why so little is known of how the catastrophe occurred.

The Age of Dragons

News of the catastrophe traveled fast, as city after city fell to the wrath of the dragons. None of the races were safe from the dragon's wake. The Elves and Dwarves were forced to call off their war to focus their energies on warding off the dragon threat. Dragon Hunters, specialized, elite mercenaries trained specifically to fight dragons, became common. They sold their services to towns and cities to kill nearby dragons or to protect the city in the case of attack. Dragon Huntering became a high-risk, high-pay occupation.

The 'Purification' of Guardainia

The dragons had one major flaw. Dragons born in Guardainia were weaker than their ancestors because Guardainia lacked the magical essence required to allow them to fully develop. So, each generation of the dragons got successively weaker and weaker. With this, the dragons were gradually killed off. The few remaining dragons fled and hid themselves in the concealed corners of the planet. This disaster lead to the hatred for anything that was considered 'unnatural' creatures. Thus, many other creatures were killed off from the planet as well. These unnatural creatures often included Gargoyles, which looked very different from the other races. Though they were more powerful than the other races, they had been severely weakened by the endless Great War and the catastrophe. For this reason, Gargoyles are usually rejected or oppressed by other societies.

The First Age of Prosperity

With civilization no longer having war or catastrophe to hold it back, an age of prosperity dawns on Guardainia. All the races multiply and occupy the entire planet. Each continues their pursuits and continues to make advancements in their strengths. The Elves, still bitter from the war, keep to their own and isolate themselves to outside society. Gargoyles remain outcasts, and their society becomes increasingly closed and isolated as well. Dwarves build larger and larger fortresses and towns, in preparation for any future war. Humans prosper and spread all across the world. No longer united under a common goal, humans split up into identifiable nations and cultures. They only occasionally oppose each other, however. Humans maintain their cooperative relationship with the Dwarves.

Coming of the Dark Shadow

Legend tells of a Dark Shadow coming to Guardainia. Its origin or nature is not entirely certain. For a while, the Gargoyles helped this creature and the Gargoyles waged war on the planet. Chaos ensued. Accounts of history during this time period are extremely sketchy. All that is known is that the accounts consistently indicate that the Gargoyles seemed to be looking to find some sort of artifact. The Gargoyles eventually discovered the true evil of this dark shadow and changed sides to fight against the creature instead of for it. The creature was apparently banished somehow, but the Gargoyles were driven off the mainland by the Elves for the crimes they had committed.

The Rebuilding and The Second Age of Prosperity

With the exception of the Gargoyle�s retreat to the uninhabited corners of the planet, the races reverted back to their previous states and began to rebuild civilization from the rubble and chaos. Elves remained isolated. Dwarves developed huge industries of mining and metallurgy. For humans, technology and trade reigned, though they still maintained their mild interest in magic. Prosperity is prominent for several thousand years.