Arcadia

Prologue: The future we forged

Prologue

The future we forged.

A grim twilight hung heavy in the air across the once fertile land of Urden. The battle scarred fields that had once bore a plentiful harvest enjoyed by a land at peace, the now empty forests that once teemed with life and the laughter of the forest sprites.

Urden had long since past it's time of glory and prosperity. All that is left now is a bitter shell desperately trying to heal the wounds caused by savage war.

There had been three factions that sought to seize Urden for themselves. 

The shining kingdom of Arcadia led by King Jagar Wildforge and his esteemed council of machine smiths once stood as the most powerful kingdom in Urden. With it's advanced technology and steam powered golems Arcadia served as a glorious beacon of technology honed by the skills of it's revered craftsmen. But now all that remains is bitter memories and the shell of the once thriving kingdom. The few that survived now try to piece their lives together from the ashes of their homes.

The powerful kingdom of Berentháág, home to a race of proud and stoic warriors that call themselves the Berenthar. With the death of high king Júnthag during the great war their kingdom had reverted to dozens of barbarian clans that  roamed the northern snow drifts and mountains of their home. It was not until these barbarian tribes banded together under new leadership that they became a threat. Their new high king, Grunthaal Redwing, the half dragon now rallys his armies might in a bloody crusade through what remains of Urden.

The third side in the long and brutal war came not from Urden, nor did they hail from this realm. The Kel'drak were a race of voidborn creatures able to harness the very essence of the void itself. Using the unstable energies of the void they were able to forge weapons able to cut through all but the sturdiest of steel as if it were merely air, armour able to withstand all but the most vicious of blows. Led out of there dark and terrible void gates by a creature towering above it's comrades and bearing the scars of past conquests, a creature that simply calls itself Mal'thar.

Beyond their savagery in battle few know any indepth knowledge of their culture due to their homeland discourageing all but the most fearless of scholars.

It was these three factions that clashed on the soil of great Urden, pushing each other to the brink of oblivion they fought until the land around them was blackened with fire and ash fell from the sky as even the land itself ruptured to the thundering drums of war.

Still, there are pockets of life here and there, places that were able to hide or shield themselves from the raging war around them and in that the seeds of hope are planted for Urden, that one day this fair land may see it's former glory once again.