In-character introduction to Yarel
From The world of Yarel
A commoner's history lesson
Players may take the information on this page as common in-character knowledge. No special skills or checks are required to know any of this information.
[edit] More than 15 generations ago
In the ancient times there were only us humans. There were no elves, dwarves and whatnot, just us. Well - those elves keep saying they were always around, just deep underground, but we didn't know they existed and they didn't know about us. There weren't none of those living dead to the north either, times were much better back then. No magic, few wars, a simple time. I wish I could have been alive back then.
Around 15 (human) generations ago - about 400 years - all sentient non-human races lived deep below the surface of the world. The surface world contained only humans and nonmagical/mundane beasts. There they lived in relative peace. They suffered all of the disadvantages that comes with a lack of magic but there were few great conflicts either, only local battles and territory disputes.
[edit] The time of change
In those oriental lands, something went really wrong. I don't know what it was but it was magic alright and really really bad. The dead started rising from their graves and whole cities were wiped out in a matter of days. A war started in the land and us living folk were losing, real fast. That's when the first few of them wizard towers started appearing too, offered to teach us common folk how to cast spells and fight back. It was a strange time I'l tell you, everyone was afraid of everything and them elves and orcs and goblins showing up didn't help things none.
The gravestrike war begins against the undead of the oriental continent. At first (without any magic to assist them) the humans suffered heavy, heavy losses. Also, non-human sentient races emerged from underground, claiming to have been shown the way to the surface. The demihuman races begin to believe that they should be living on the surface all along, and that living underground was unnatural for them. Many move above ground and a steady tide of immigration begins.
The first schools of wizardry are begun, and the common man is taught magic. This is a time of fear and distrust. The civilised folk did not understand magic and had no concept of what a spellcaster could do, let alone a non-human creature. Many innocent demihumans are put to death for witchcraft and there is a great amount of conflict over how magic should be used.
[edit] The time of learning
We've been learning, aye, that's true - but we have a long way to come. I hear the wars to the north are going badly, nearly the entire orient is lost - how many soldiers have gone to a fate worse that death there? The armies of death are trying to push outwards too, I was told that just last year we had to repel two galleons filled with the rotted corpses of the soldiers we sent to fight. I'm still not totally happy about those gnomes either. I mean, the elves stick to themselves, and when they do show up they do stuff to help. Those child-folk are good fun and I don't mind the dwarves. No matter what everyone says those gnomes still creep me out though, what are they up to?
We're all at war now - you can see it all around. So much effort is put into making weapons and training troops you can see it everywhere. I'm just a farm worker and I still feel like I've been drafted into the military. It's a great time to get rich if you don't mind profiting from death. What with those Flame Priests and the armies and the wizard guilds everyone's feeling pretty tense.
The world is in a state of transition, demihuman races are beginning to gain acceptance amongst the common folk, with varying degrees of success at integrating themselves into human culture. The undead wars are the thing that is on the tip of everyone's tongue - how is the campaign going, how many troops are being sent to fight, which towns have been won and lost?
The mage guilds (as they have now become known) are powerful and divided entities, for which the local rules tend to have very little influence. They continue to make gains and subtly challenge each other for favour as a 'master guild'. Ancient and forgotten secrets (from before the time of history) are often found, tipping the balance of power where they are. Magic is still not yet a common thing. There are plenty of villagers who have never met a spellcaster and have only rumor to go on as to what their capabilities might be.
