The Encyclopedia of Sanctum

Cerhelia (realm)

"I wandered the endless seas of golden hill and ancient oak and found a city where the light of Sanctum's dawning still shone. Though shattered it was, and forever it wills to be."
- Eristar

The Realm of Cerhelia was a realm in the Westlands of Sanctum, founded in F.A. 10,010 not long after the fall of Vitanien. The sister kingdom of Valeon and the new home of the Lierin people, Cerhelia played an important role in fighting the Abyss' first descent on Sanctum. It was known for being a land plagued by war and held together by a fractured vision of hope. 

A port in the city of White Tower

History

First Age

When the Vitanien Stone of Keyvoria was destroyed, the holy light connecting the gods to Sanctum faded, and most of humanity was left soulless husks filled with the darkness above. Only the strongest of humans survived and were "awoken," gaining full consciousness and fleeing their corrupted home that was now called Zodirion. A branch of humanity living in the west, those of Lierin descent, fled north to Edrelion and nomadically wandered for ten years, finally building a fort on the River Telwest in F.A. 10,010 as the enemy caught up and thinned their ranks. They were Lierin, having white hair and light eyes (though some were red), titling themselves "Cerhelians," and they put in place the Vow of Cerhelia. They were at war with Zodirion in the south, and they vowed to fight and retake their lands from the Abyss. Thus, the Vow of Cerhelia was made, where all citizens were to remain loyal and true to their reclamation of Vitanien. There were no exceptions. Every citizen was to learn how to fight back, and everyone was required to join the frontlines for a number of years. 

It is important to note that the Lierin folk lived in the west of Vitanien, far from the Stone, and never saw its destruction and the coming of the Abyss dragon Dracol. Unlike the people of Valeon, their hearts remained free from that despair and they retained the strength to fight. The Cerhelians fought back with pure magic and rarely used any weaponry. They wore long colorless robes and their long white hair was free flowing or braided. Cerhelians were the tallest of the Westlanders.

The first ruler of Cerhelia was Cerys Corellon, a brave and ruthless warlord who led the host to Edrelion. With her counsel, Cerhelia expanded north and concentrated around the etesian coasts. Great poets and arcanists they were in days of old, they constructed great towers of magic and lore as they went. In 10,223, White Tower grew to be the central hub of the realm and most citizens fled there after serving their duties, they could live less perilous lives. Telwest remained less of a city and now a colossal military fortress defending the south guard. Many Cerhelian cities consisted of many layers of towered walls protecting the central hub. They were impenetrable, as was told in tales. But by this time, Cerhelia had heard of their kin in Valeon, but the sister kingdom was deemed untrustworthy and they did not treat with them. For Valeon was in the binds of the Abyss and spoke false truths. Cerhelia was pure and saw through them all, but fighting Valeon was impossible.