STONES OF THE HIGHLAND *CLOSED*

Original Prologue

It is the dawning of the Twelfth Age. 700 years after The War of the Immortals, a war that left permanent scars on the once beautiful land. There is no justice, but what the God-King wills. The great nation of Kronus ended in crisis and was left to crumble and disappear, doomed to be forgotten by the world. At the war's end, The Great Five of legend were executed. In a time of need rumors from a prophetic traveler reached the ears of the people. However, that was many years ago and the people of the nation have all, but lost confidence in the old legend. Those still blindly devoted to the Immortals continue to look to the Highland for some sign of redemption and hope. While others blindly follow the Throne to the bitter end, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

"Since the dawning of the first sun, Kronus has been known all across the world as the Land of Forgotten Time. Stories of its beauty had passed through every tongue of every bard. Kronus earned its name from its glorious beauty that not even time itself seemed to touch..."

"...The ageless kingdom was ruled by the judgment of The Immortal Seven. However, at the beginning of the Fifth Age the deities - as they had become known as - grew restless and questions began emerging from the depths of their minds. Stories arose that they yearned for the chance to experience life outside of their palaces, outside reigning, a chance for them to leave and seek their answers in the world. Finally, on the dawn of the Seventh Age - the Age of Awakening - The Seven felt that their prospects were able to properly govern themselves and willingly relinquished their thrones. They traveled across the land in search of their own experiences and wisdom..."

"During the dying days of the Tenth Age, the Immortals returned to Kronus with knowledge far surpassing the scholars of lore, only to find that Kronus had fallen into the hands of Malifus, The Seventh. They had been betrayed. A power struggle soon grew between the divinities, a third of the people backed The Six. The rest angered by their 'abandonment backed Malifus. This clash soon developed into the greatest war that ever graced the face of Kronus, The War of the Immortals. The war lasted for well over a hundred years bleeding into the Eleventh Age. The Age of Blood..."

"...The war finally ended as the sun set on the Tenth Month of the Fifteenth Decade. The Six had lost. As victor Malifus ordered the crucifixion of the Immortals - who had accepted their fate, except for one. The Sixth, Ai, fled the dungeons, leaving a wandering traveler in his place, with a note saying: 'My duty is my own, I shall return for you. As collateral, I shall bargain my Immortality for your deaths.' Upon their deaths, Malifus, in light of their failed uprising and fear of the Divinities possible reincarnation, entrapped their souls in temples hidden across Kronus."

"...It is unsure what Ai plans were or if he had any at all for he disappeared from society, leaving behind him no records. To this day, the 700th anniversary of The Great Sacrifice, people even doubt if he ever existed or if he was just a lost ideal they held on to for hope. Although through several failed rebellions led by those foolish enough to call themselves The Incarnate or even a descendant of 'The Great Ai, The Dark King still reigned.''

-excerpt from the Records of the Broken World by De'zavell Johnston, Kronus historian of the 12th Age.