02-23-2012, 08:23 AM
One Thousand years ago, the first magic user was born. A man of incredible power and influence, Athran D’Elmont wielded powers never before heard of. Some hailed him as a god, some as a demon. Regardless of what they thought of him, though, everyone expected great things from him. Truly, the whole of Anyria had their eyes on this single man. D’Elmont, as it turned out, would not let them down.
With seemingly complete control over the elements, Athran could crush mountains, flood lands, or blot out the sun with endless rains. He did none of those things, though. The era into which Athran was born was one of war and conflict. There were no true regions with no true leaders. Mankind was only just learning to mine ore and craft weapons and armor from metal. Whoever was the strongest was the person how gave the orders. Arthran had his sights set on a goal much nobler than conquering a couple of tribes.
In a world where the strongest ruled, a man who could bend the very forces of nature to his will was king. It did not take long at all for D’Elmont to subdue the tribes around him, reigning in the aggressive natures they had known. Athran began to centralize the people under his rule, creating the first true city Anyria had ever known: Vesaria. Soon after the founding of Vesaria, people began coming to D’Elmont without him having to seek them out.
Using his magical powers, Athran was able to provide everything the city needed: running rivers of water, fertile plains for farming, and natural walls of stone for defense. Truly, Athran was every bit the magnanimous man of vision that Anyria needed. Knowing that the people looked to him, Athran took a wife and officially crowned himself King of Anyria. King Arthran and Queen Calmia were equal parts respected and feared, all knowing that their reign was absolute.
Shortly after the birth of Arthran’s only son, Talin, the king received a premonition. Something horrible was poised to strike not only his kingdom, but all of Anyria. A massive crystal, large enough to rend the entire land asunder, would be striking them from the sky. Knowing that such a disaster had to be averted, Athran prepared himself for what was to come.
The crystalline meteor neared Anyria, everyone across the land turning to watch as the scion of destruction blotted out the sky. Drawing out the whole of his magical strength, Athran’s powers cut through the sky, driving into the meteor and crushing it within a maelstrom of magical might. The spell could be seen across all of Anyria in an event that would come to be known as The Shattering.
So powerful a feat did not come without a cost, however. Athran D’Elmont gave his life that day, sacrificing himself. It was said that he passed with a smile on his face, content in his knowledge that the land he had united, his land, would be safe from catastrophe. Small flecks of the crystalline meteor trickled down from the sky, illuminating the land as the glittered in the sun’s light. It was as though Anyria itself was praising the king’s sacrifice.
With seemingly complete control over the elements, Athran could crush mountains, flood lands, or blot out the sun with endless rains. He did none of those things, though. The era into which Athran was born was one of war and conflict. There were no true regions with no true leaders. Mankind was only just learning to mine ore and craft weapons and armor from metal. Whoever was the strongest was the person how gave the orders. Arthran had his sights set on a goal much nobler than conquering a couple of tribes.
In a world where the strongest ruled, a man who could bend the very forces of nature to his will was king. It did not take long at all for D’Elmont to subdue the tribes around him, reigning in the aggressive natures they had known. Athran began to centralize the people under his rule, creating the first true city Anyria had ever known: Vesaria. Soon after the founding of Vesaria, people began coming to D’Elmont without him having to seek them out.
Using his magical powers, Athran was able to provide everything the city needed: running rivers of water, fertile plains for farming, and natural walls of stone for defense. Truly, Athran was every bit the magnanimous man of vision that Anyria needed. Knowing that the people looked to him, Athran took a wife and officially crowned himself King of Anyria. King Arthran and Queen Calmia were equal parts respected and feared, all knowing that their reign was absolute.
Shortly after the birth of Arthran’s only son, Talin, the king received a premonition. Something horrible was poised to strike not only his kingdom, but all of Anyria. A massive crystal, large enough to rend the entire land asunder, would be striking them from the sky. Knowing that such a disaster had to be averted, Athran prepared himself for what was to come.
The crystalline meteor neared Anyria, everyone across the land turning to watch as the scion of destruction blotted out the sky. Drawing out the whole of his magical strength, Athran’s powers cut through the sky, driving into the meteor and crushing it within a maelstrom of magical might. The spell could be seen across all of Anyria in an event that would come to be known as The Shattering.
So powerful a feat did not come without a cost, however. Athran D’Elmont gave his life that day, sacrificing himself. It was said that he passed with a smile on his face, content in his knowledge that the land he had united, his land, would be safe from catastrophe. Small flecks of the crystalline meteor trickled down from the sky, illuminating the land as the glittered in the sun’s light. It was as though Anyria itself was praising the king’s sacrifice.