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DanMcSorley
02-24-2003, 02:38 AM
Mythology in BR extends back only to Deismaar, really, with a couple of
mentions of earlier activity. There aren`t any creation myths at all.
What have you written up for your games?

I kind of like the theory that the tribal gods were so closely associated
with their tribes because they arose from worship. Anduiras personified
the ancient kings and warrior of the Anuireans, so he came into existance.
With that version, it`s hard to say where Azrai came from, because he
doesn`t seem to have had a tribe of his own originally.
--
Communication is possible only between equals.
Daniel McSorley- mcsorley@cis.ohio-state.edu

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Birthright-L
02-24-2003, 02:48 AM
Azrai was called the Shadow... Perhaps he came about because all the
civilized tribes feared the night and the shadows... And of course, there
also is the fact that someone would have to tell where the Adurians came
from too...

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Raesene Andu
02-24-2003, 09:01 AM
Actually, this lack of early history is something we hope to correct in the upcoming d20 Atlas of Cerilia. I'd like to see more on the early history of the human tribes, more of the rise of Azrai, etc. What about everyone else, is there someone you would particularly like to see, or have explained from the history of Cerilia, or do you perhaps have an interesting idea you want to put forward. If so, post away, and I'll watch the forums...

Green Knight
02-24-2003, 09:02 AM
daniel mcsorley wrote:

>Mythology in BR extends back only to Deismaar, really, with a couple of
>mentions of earlier activity. There aren`t any creation myths at all.
>What have you written up for your games?

Always liking ancient real-world history, I invented an entire "bronze
age-iron age" background for my game (very Anuire-centric and focused on
military history).

It goes something like this:

1. (ca. 1500 BD) The proto-Andu are a fierce nomadic people living
somewhere on the Adurian continent. They are a menace to the civilized
realms of the area, constantly raiding. Their use of horses (chariots)
and iron lead to their eventual conquest of the civilized lands. There
they establish themselves as a ruling caste.

The proto-Andu believe in a complex pantheon of gods and spirits. One of
these is Anduiras, god of chariot warfare and the ruling elite. The seed
of every other major god is also present in the pantheon, but are
neither more important nor more powerful than a myriad of other gods.
For instance, there are several other gods of war, battle and combat.
Masela is know as the goddess of wells etc.

Adepts are the norm among these primitive peoples, there are no clerics
yet.

2. (ca. 1300 BD) The new proto-Andu lands are not unifed and constantly
war with each other, until a Great Leader emerges, unifing all Andu
lands and conquering many other realms as well. In addition to being a
warrior and a king, he is also the High Priest (one of the first true
clerics) of Anduiras.

The proto-Andu take the name "Andu" to honor the god of their Great
Leader. The worship of Anduiras becomes the state faith for the new
Empire, and he reaches a level of importance to the Andu that no other
god has ever had. The link between the Andu and Anduiras is forever
cemented by his ascension to greatness, and the Andu`s great progress in
the lands of the living.

Among the other "tribes", other gods acheive more prominence in a
similar manner. Through a combination of interaction with these other
cultures and the power of these geat gods, a pantheon of only a few
powerful gods starts to take shape.

Each "tribe" hold its own patron above all the others, and arrange the
portfolios and relations of the gods according to their view of the
world. There are also still a larger number of lesser gods. The great
gods have an increasing number of clerics within the ranks of their
clergy.

3. (1000 BD) Eventually, after many centuries, the Empire of the Great
Leader is weakened, and when put under pressure by the emerging Adurian
Empire. The Andu eventually succumb, to a large extent because of the
Adurian mastery of arcane magic, and are take as slaves to the Adurian
Empire, where they labor for the greater glory of the Empire and Azrai,
the chief god of the Adurians.

The Andu never forget their god and their freedom. This dedication
allows Aduiras to continue as a great god and allows the Andu to retain
their identity as a people.

Many lesser gods disappear during this period, for only those that were
initially powerfull and widely worshiped survive this era, where Azrai
reigns supreme over all the gods.

4. (700 BD to 500 BD) The Andu rise in rebellion much later, led by
clerics and paladins (the first in history) of Anduiras. They win their
independence, if only for a while. Azrai does not tolerate this
insubordination, and orders his followers to attack and reclaim the lost
realm. The Andu resist for the longest of times, but eventually it
becomes clear that this is a fight they cannot win. Some of the Andu
start treking north to the newly discovered land of Cerilia, which
appears to be beyound the grasp of the Shadow. The rest stay behind to
cover the retreat, and are evntually defeated.

In other places, other peoples also rise in rebellion or flee the
Shadow. Urged on by their patron gods, the pantheon of Cerilia is
finally established, as the five tribes and the Basarji settle. There
are 7 gods (Anduiras LG, Basaia LN, Masela NG, Reynir N, Vorynn CG,
Brenna CN, Azrai NE), one for each people and Azrai, who is well known
to all.

What lesser gods remain in Aduria does not follow into Cerilia (but some
remain there even now).

5. (ca. 500 BD) The first Andu come to Cerilia. Initially many settle on
the north coast of Aduria, but some cross the Straits and settle around
the mouth of the Maseil (btw I kicked the landbridge altogether, but
that desn`t matter that much in this regard).

6. (500 BD to 200 BD) In all, 5 groups or Houses settled in Cerilia in
the years before the Gheallie Sidhe. The first House (name passed out of
knowledge) around the Mouth of the Maseil and for some distance upriver.
The second House (Boru) alog the coasts and river valleys of the West
Coast. The third House along the shores or the Gulf of Coeranys (I guess
I must call it Elin) and the Berendor River (in Aerenwe), the Fourth
house went up the Maesil and settled the central highlands, eventually
crossing the Stonecrows (I call them the Mhor). The fifth House settled
on the South Coast (Deretha). There may have been many additional lesser
Houses as well, and some may have stayed in Mieres and the other
north-Adurian areas, but of them history has forgotten.

7. (200BD to 0 HC) After this I stick largely to that presented in the
books, with the wars with goblins and elves and such. It should be noted
though, that the five Andu realms were largely on their own, and each
House ruled as Kings over their own area. They only united in effort
(but not more than that, Haelyn and Roele were sons of the First House,
but not more than that) during the War Against the Shadow.

8. (0 HC +) After Deismaar, not all were pleased to become part of
Roeles new Empire. Especially the Boru resisted fiercely, thinking Roele
the ultimate betrayer, for falling on his allies when Azrai was
defeated. Their remote location and battle prowess meant that is was a
hard fight, but eventuall the Boru were defeated and made part of the
Empire.


Well, that was the sort version. The other tribes figure in it as well,
but play a much less important role. If anyone is interested in the full
version, I`ll try and upload it to "roerules" shortly.

Bjørn

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ConjurerDragon
02-24-2003, 04:31 PM
daniel mcsorley wrote:

>I kind of like the theory that the tribal gods were so closely associated
>with their tribes because they arose from worship. Anduiras personified
>the ancient kings and warrior of the Anuireans, so he came into existance.
>With that version, it`s hard to say where Azrai came from, because he
>doesn`t seem to have had a tribe of his own originally.
>
He could have started as the god of the Beastmen - e.g. in Greatheart in
the short story at the end Azrai brings some of his beast men, perhaps
gnolls to the Sielwode.
bye
Michael Romes

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Ariadne
02-24-2003, 06:21 PM
Originally posted by The Green Knight

In other places, other peoples also rise in rebellion or flee the Shadow. Urged on by their patron gods, the pantheon of Cerilia is finally established, as the five tribes and the Basarji settle. There are 7 gods (Anduiras LG, Basaia LN, Masela NG, Reynir N, Vorynn CG, Brenna CN, Azrai NE), one for each people and Azrai, who is well known
to all.
I like your god alignments. I'm not of the opinion that Andurias should have been LN nor that no CG god existed. Your version is really excellent...

If you like, post your long version. I would like to see it...

Raesene Andu
02-25-2003, 06:36 PM
Although this is a minor point, Azrai would also be more LE than NE. He is primarily concerned with spreading his rules, his law across Aduria and Cerilia.

ConjurerDragon
02-25-2003, 07:52 PM
Raesene Andu wrote:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/read.php?TID=1377
>
> Raesene Andu wrote:
> Although this is a minor point, Azrai would also be more LE than NE. He is primarily concerned with spreading his rules, his law across Aduria and Cerilia.
>
Lawful as the god of lies and false promises, who tricked the elves and
lured Prince Raesene on his side?

Seeing Azrais power, that he could stand up to all the other gods, he
should have followers with any alignment - perhaps he has even followers
who do not know that they follow him ;-)
(like the Vos, who fled him only to be charmed by him later without even
recognizing him for being the shadow they fled)
bye
Michael Romes

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 09:27 PM
Ariadne wrote:

Originally posted by The Green Knight

>>In other places, other peoples also rise in rebellion or flee the
Shadow. >>Urged on by their patron gods, the pantheon of Cerilia is
finally >>established, as the five tribes and the Basarji settle. There
are 7 gods >>(Anduiras LG, Basaia LN, Masela NG, Reynir N, Vorynn CG,
Brenna CN, >>>Azrai NE), one for each people and Azrai, who is well
known
>>to all.

>I like your god alignments. I`m not of the opinion that Andurias
should >have been LN nor that no CG god existed. Your version is really
excellent...

>If you like, post your long version. I would like to see it...

OK, I will. I`m just formatting it and filling out some blanks. Is there
a limit on how long a single post can be (do I need to break it up into
several parts)?

Cheers
Bjørn

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 09:27 PM
Raesene Andu wrote:

> Although this is a minor point, Azrai would also be more LE than NE.
He is >primarily concerned with spreading his rules, his law across
Aduria and >Cerilia.

Nope, not in my book. I stand firm by NE.

Azrai is the Shadow, the Face of Evil, the Great Deceiver, the
Corruptor. He is also the One of Many Secrets, the Terrible Warlord, and
a host of other bad titles :-)

He has both lawful and chaotic traits IMO, possibly slightly more lawful
than chaotic. However, his EVIL alignment is so pronounced as to make
the whole law/chaos axis unimportant. Azrai is the god of EVIL above
all, staunchly opposed to the other six gods. They all fight him, not
because they`re all so damn GOOD, but because the EVIL of Azrai is very
overwhelming...

Cheers
Bjørn

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
City-states period
For how long the Andu dwelt as lords among the city-people we are
equally uncertain. Whatever the length of the Andu rule was, the period
was not a peaceful one. The noble houses of the Andu warred incessantly
against one another and against neighboring peoples. Sometime one house
claimed ascendancy, sometimes another. The land was never unified, at
least not for any meaningful period of time, with city-states constantly
warring and scheming against each other.
Dating this period is fraught with difficulty. It likely spanned
multiple centuries, possibly beginning between the 26th and 27th century
BD and lasting into the 23rd or 22nd, depending on when one places the
creation of the First Empire.

Warcraft
There is relatively little information on the conduct of war during this
period. We can assume that many of the tribal traditions were carried
on, since they had proven so successful in defeating the city-dwellers.
We must also assume that much of the former enemy’s doctrine was
incorporated into the proto-Andu military lore. The tribal nature of
proto-Andu warfare must quickly have proven inadequate to deal with the
challenges of running a city-state.
We do know is that the proto-Andu adopted some of the weapons and
tactics of their former enemies. It seems that the city-people was used
as infantry and as light cavalry. Infantry was of two types, spearmen
and skirmishers. The spearmen was used in masses formations, while the
skirmishers acted more independently, harassing the enemy as the battle
lines closed, then circling to engage the flanks and rear but never
entering the melee. Cavalry seems to have taken on greater importance,
with units of mounted archers replacing the javelin-using mounted
skirmishers of the earlier period.
The proto-Andu remained aloft as heavy cavalry, riding in their
chariots, encased in iron armor and bearing iron weapons. We also have
evidence that the transition from chariot cavalry to horseback cavalry
began early in this period, though we do not know the reason. Whatever
the cause, elite regiments of mounted riders were soon present in every
army, although the chariot remained the mainstay of the heavy cavalry
for quite some time.
Techniques for siegecraft were likely improved on, and the size of
armies deployed seems to have increased, probably prompting better
logistical procedures and perhaps development of infrastructure to
support the movement of men and materiel. Much of this knowledge was
surely inherited from the city-dwellers and further developed during the
years of inter-city warfare.
Iron was gradually introduced to every combat arm during this period. It
seems that the proto-Andu initially kept the secret of iron to
themselves, but it is likely that the temptation to equip ever more
troops with cheap arms was simply too great. Once one city-state gave
their infantry body armor, helmets, shields and iron axes, they would
have a significant advantage, forcing the other states to follow their
example or risk defeat. This, and the introduction of heavy chariot
cavalry, is two of the earliest and most pronounced examples of
developments affecting the nature of warfare.
There is another observation that must be made. The defense seems to
have increased in power compared to the offense during this period. The
presence of numerous fortified cities and strongpoint, and large
financial and manpower bases seems to have limited the impact of victory
and defeat in battle. Additionally, the battles themselves seem to have
been less deadly. It is possible that the inflexible spear formation did
little damage to other spear formations, and that the proliferation of
cheap iron body armor increased battlefield survivability.

Mythology
The city-dwellers seems to have worshipped mostly the same gods as the
proto-Andu, even if under different names and sometimes with divergent
portfolios. Anduiras for example, seems to have been known as Aiiros,
and was counted as the god of horses and horse-trainers. The proto-Andu
did have some gods unknown to the city-dwellers and vices versa, for
both cultures encompassed things that the other had no need for. The
city-dwellers for example, worshipped Xeros, god of walls and
fortifications; hardly a god the Andu had any need for in their
pantheon. Still, both cultures had basically the same pantheons, a story
that seems to repeat itself wherever one looks at history; gods seem to
be ubiquitous and not limited by such trivialities as culture, race,
names, time, and distance (indeed some philosophers argue that this is
what makes a god a god).
The difference between spirits and gods seems to have become more
pronounced during this period. There were still powerful and weak gods
and powerful and weak spirits; and the later may still have held more
power than the former. The difference seems to lie primarily in the
amount of worship accorded gods as opposed to spirits. While both may
have had followings, only gods seems to have had true portfolios. A
spirit could be placated or compelled, but didn’t actually hold dominion
over anything. The spirit and its worshippers clearly benefited from
their association, but not to the same extent as the gods and their
followers.
Over time the pantheons merged, although there seems to have been some
individual differences between the ruling elite and the subjugated lower
classes, as well as between individual city-states. In particular, each
city seems to have chosen one god as a patron, and placed that god high
in importance in their own interpretation of the pantheon. It might be
interesting to note that during this mergence, many gods were worshipped
under different names and with different portfolios by the same people.
Anduiras and Aiiros were both worshipped for a while, but were clearly
the same god. Eventually, the gods either merged and/or shed excess
portfolios. Anduiras continued as the patron of mounted warriors, but
the rest of his horse-related duties were passed on to other gods.
Despite these differences, most developments were mirrored everywhere if
not in equal amounts. During the process many lesser gods disappeared,
some spirits seems to have been elevated to god-hood, and some gods
demoted to spirit-status. This is the first and last time evidence for
any large number of such changes to have taken place. I can only
speculate to the reasons, but is seem clear that for some reason, the
nature of the universe was rearranged (or rearranged itself if you
like).
Adepts are still the norm; they fill some of the key positions in the
priesthoods while lay clergy make up the rest. There are no true
clerics, although some of the larger temples begin an unprecedented
buildup of their spell-casting priests. The true cleric can be glimpsed,
as the adept evolves from an intuitive vocation to one taught at the
temple. Arcane magic is still in its infancy, but for the first time we
find indications that are some developments. The distinction between
divine, primordial, and arcane magic is becoming more pronounced. As the
adept journeys toward cleric-hood, so too does he evolve in other
directions.

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
The Flight from Shadow
What happened next is shrouded in legend (there are few reliable written
sources of the period, and the Shadow’s tainted touch makes any
divinations on the subject suspect), but we know the Andu were taken as
slaves by the Empire of Aduria and sent away from their homeland. The
majority was sent far to the north, and eventually settled along the
southern coasts of the Suidenmiere. There they labored hard to build
great cities, monuments, and temples to honor the Adurian Empire and
Azrai.
The Andu never forgot their freedom, and their leaders wowed before
Anduiras that they would be free again. At first, small bands of Andu
left their homes and traveled north. The trek was arduous, but some
reached the shores of the Far Coast. Some settled there, but others
built boats and crossed the Straits of Aerele into Cerilia.
In 889BD the Andu rose in rebellion against their masters. During the
years of enslavement the Andu had grown numerous, and through their link
with Anduiras they had secretly retained some skill at arms. More
importantly, the Gods had found a means to counter Azrai`s dark sorcery
by granting their loyal followers greater priestly powers. Anduiras’
chosen clerics and paladins led the Andu in their rebellion, and proved
the deciding factor. Some of the Andu immediately decided to leave for
Cerilia, for stories of this new and untouched land had reached them.
The majority, however, chose to remain and fight whatever Azrai might
send their way. So began years of struggle, as Azrai would send this
army and that to resubjugate the Andu. At first it looked like the Andu
might retain their freedom, but each new attack was more vicious than
the last, and soon began to grind down the Andu defenders. In 580BD, as
the Shadow`s greatest army approached the Andu lands, women, children,
and other non-combatants were sent north, while Andu warriors prepared
to by them as much time as possible. This group of refugees only reached
Cerilia decades later.


Warcraft
Through their link with Anduiras, the Andu never completely forgot their
freedom, nor did they forget the ancient art of war. Not everything
known by their ancestors was applicable, for the Andu initially had
little in the way of weapons, and could not hope to oppose the Empire of
Great Aduria in open battle.
Thus the resistance movement was initially largely a guerilla movement.
Andu warriors would slip out of the slave cities and settle in the harsh
wilderness. Covertly supported by their city-dwelling cousins, they
would stage raids at the Adurians. This is the first true example of
asymmetrical warfare, inn that the Andu consequently refused to meet the
enemy on their terms, but instead relied on techniques not commonly
believed to be compatible with military victory.
Indeed, even the Andu realized that if they were to win, they would need
to do two things. Destroy the enemy’s ability to wage war and create a
true army of their own, including a logistical and population base for
this army. Thus, screened by their guerilla activities, for which the
armies of the Adurians seemed unable to cope with, the Andu establishing
a few safe-holds in outlying areas. There they began the task of
building a base from which to build a true army.
Step by step, they ground the enemy into dust, while every so slowly
building their own strength, until finally they were ready to act.
Realizing that despite all the long years of careful preparation, the
Andu were nowhere near the military potential of the Adurians, they
focused on attacking the Adurian will to fight, not his means of
fighting. A protracted struggle would only lead to attrition on both
sides, which the Andu could ill afford. Only a lightning campaign,
executed with flawless precession and boundless drive, could bring the
Empire out of balance and keep it striving to regain it, until it found
itself at the edge of the cliff. Then, if the Empire would not fall,
then the cliff would have to fall for it.
When the campaign started, the Adurian Empire was taken by surprise. No
longer was the Andu shadowy figures hiding in the bush and attacking at
night. Now they were a proper army, and they were driving the Adurians
before them. Still, the Emperor of Great Aduria felt that it was only a
matter of time before the might of his legions could be brought to bear.
Before this could happen, I believe that Anduiras himself interceded.
Challenging Azrai himself to single combat, he caught the god of Secrets
as unprepared as the Adurians; for Azrai had thought the old god of the
Andu long since turned into a shadow of his former self. Now he stood
there in all his glory, while his warriors were cutting down Azrai’s own
legions. In an instant Azrai’s determination faltered. This could be
part of a plot to destroy him; this reeked of betrayal from his mortal
agents. Azrai abandoned the Empire of Great Aduria, thinking himself
betrayed and deceiving himself into thinking he was in danger. So the
cliff fell, and the Empire with it.
The arms, armor, and tactics of this period drew heavily on the lore of
earlier ages. There are two new developments. The first is the advent of
the guerilla and asymmetrical warfare (of which the elves would later
prove to excel at). The second is the principle of attacking the enemy’s
will to fight, not his means of fighting, as the basis of military
victory.
Through the following centuries, whenever Azrai sent his armies to
resubjugate them, the Andu would refuse to give battle, unless
everything was favoring their side. Instead, they would use guerilla
tactics to harass the enemy’s long lines of supply. When it came down to
real fighting (and several invasions apparently failed to press even a
single battle), the Andu would focus on the enemy’s will to battle, even
going so far as to stage counter-invasions.

Mythology
In other places, other peoples also rise in rebellion or flee the
Shadow. Urged on by their patron gods, the pantheon of Cerilia is
finally established, as the five tribes and the Basarji travel to the
new continent and settle there.
What lesser gods remain in Aduria does not follow into Cerilia (but some
remain in existence there even now). Cerilia would alter gain its own
lesser gods, but that is another story altogether. What spirits went to
Cerilia did so as agents of the gods, the free spirits of Aduria stayed
behind it seems.
Paladins are a new development of the era, and one which may impart
explains the success of the Andu. Champions of Haelyn, they were the
leaders and commanders of the rebellion, as well as guides, healers, and
protectors of the people.
There is evidence that druidic circles aided the Andu in establishing
themselves in the wild lands. Whether they did this on behalf of Reynir,
god of the Wild or for their own strange reasons is not known.
Eventually true magic is no longer the sole province of the Lord of
Lies. Basaïa have taken to teaching her followers wizardry and Vorynn
have taken to granting his most talented worshippers with the gift of
sorcery.

The Age of History
Coming...

The Modern Age
Coming...

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
Hi,

Ok, here it is, had to divide it into several parts.

Note that this is only part of the whole document. The other parts are
of less interest I think. The Age of History is relatively well
documented in BR products, and the Modern Ear is just the "present day"
in BR. The age of Dreams is pretty esoteric and deals with the creation
of the world, the rise of gods, spirits, and other outsiders. The Age of
Myth deals with dragons, the She, the slow Cleaving of the worlds (which
started much before Deismaar), and other such matters.

Cheers Bjørn


History and Mythology the Anuirean Book of Days

The Age of Dreams
Coming...

The Age of Myth
Coming...

The Age of Legend

“Victory is not merely the defeat of your enemy on the battlefield, but
the utter destruction of all his forces, lands and assets. For only by
offering the name of the enemy to oblivion and erasing the memory of his
existence from the book of life, can you hope to stay victorious; for
victory always breeds complacency, and defeat merely ignites the fires
of revenge.”

- Arkhelan the great, on victory


Earliest legends
Little is know of the earliest history of our Andu ancestors; from
whence they came, where they dwelt, and what their culture was like. We
do, however, know that they once were a semi-nomadic tribal people that
conquered a settled people that lived in great cities along the coasts
and river valleys of a land far to the south. They did not destroy their
enemy, but instead established themselves as the ruling elite,
abandoning their nomadic ways in favor of a more civilized lifestyle.
Dating this period is next to impossible. It seems that the proto-Andu
came into contact with the city-dwellers in the later part of the 3rd
millennium BD or in the early part of the 2nd. From whence they came, or
for how long the two cultures co-existed is not known. Even magical
attempt to divine some sort of date has failed.

Warcraft
Of the war of conquest we know virtually nothing, except that our
ancestors possessed two things that the city-dwellers did not; iron and
chariot cavalry. Hard as it is to imagine today, there was once a time
when men did not know how to work iron, but instead relied on bronze to
craft their weapons of war. While bronze weapons can be just as deadly
as iron ones, they are far more costly to make and do not have the same
strength and resilience. While horses were know to the city-dwellers,
they were little used in war, being mostly relegated to the role as
beasts of burden. There are some texts that hint that the city-dwellers
had some light cavalry; javeliners mounted on small horses.
Iron weapons, cheap and easy to produce, enabled our ancestors to
provide superior armaments to their warriors, even though they had far
less wealth than did the enemy. The use of cavalry opened up a whole new
dimension in armed conflict; try imagining a battle in which one
opponent lacks heavy cavalry completely, and has little light cavalry.
In this way, the proto-Andu’s use of iron cancelled the city-dweller’s
strategic advantage and their use of cavalry checked the enemy’s
tactical advantage of greater numbers. Still, I imagine it must have
been difficult for a tribal people to wholly defeat an organized urban
enemy. How did they manage sieges and logistics? We’ll never know, but
we can still admire the skill and courage of our most distant ancestors.

Mythology
The proto-Andu believed in a complex and volatile pantheon of gods and
spirits. The distinction between god and spirit was blurry, as powerful
spirits were easily as powerful as some of the gods and some gods were
little more than household spirits. Unlike today, both gods and spirits
were free to ream the leaned of the living as they pleased. The creation
of the Realm of Dreams had not in any way inhibited their ability to
interact with mortals. Herein lies the main metaphysical difference
between gods and spirits; the gods could dispatch their avatars while
spirits were forced to appear in their true form (which of course made
them susceptible to influence and even destruction). The only other
meaningful distinction seems to have been whether one asked of a god or
compelled a spirit. Even here the difference is not pronounced, for one
adept might compel and another ask, depending on various circumstances.
One of these gods was Anduiras, god of chariot warfare and patron of the
ruling elite. The seed of every other major god was also present in the
pantheon, but were neither more important nor more powerful than a
myriad of other gods-spirits. For instance, there were several other
gods competing with Anduiras for the portfolio of war, battle and
combat. Likewise, Masela who was later to become primarily a goddess of
the seas, was know by the proto-Andu as the goddess of wells (we believe
that the proto-Andu were not initially a seafaring people).
Adepts were the norm among these primitive peoples. No god had the power
or inclination to empower mortals as clerics. There is little evidence
of arcane magic, which might not mean anything. Still, I take it to mean
that magic was primarily the province of these adepts; indeed this type
of magic still abound among primitive races to this day, and by nature
it has much in common with both primordial and arcane magic.

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
First Empire
Arkhelan and his ancestors ruled their Empire for many centuries,
eventually conquering many neighboring peoples. Anduiras, god of war and
rulership, lent the Andu strength in battle and wisdom to rule their
lands. This link with Anduiras, together with the legacy of Arkhelan
made the Andu nearly unstoppable, at least for a time.
At some point the power of the First Empire waned and was broken. The
Empire of Great Aduria had finally reached the land of the Andu. This
was an Empire utterly unlike anything the Andu had encountered before.
Powerful beyond imagining, they first tried deception and lies. When
that didn’t work, for the chosen of Anduiras were not easily fooled,
they chose war.

Warcraft
There seems to have been a slight shift towards favoring infantry over
cavalry. The phalangite became ever more heavily armored, the sarissa
increased in length, and the space between each individual soldier was
somewhat lessened. This resulted in heavier, buy less maneuverable
phalanxes. The old Andu also seems to have forgotten the lessons of
combined arms warfare, for a few centuries after Arkhelan`s death;
battles were once again decided by one fighting arm only – this time the
heavy infantry.
The inflexible infantry phalanxes of the Andu proved unsuitable for
fighting the forces of Azrai. While truly superior to anything Azrai
could throw at the in open combat, they proved incapable of dealing with
the onslaught of monsters and magical creations Azrai`s disciples
commanded. Thus came about the end of the First Empire, traditionally
thought to have occurred around 1100BD.

Mythology
Worshipping many of the same gods that the Andu did, they placed Azrai
above all other gods. In return, Azrai had taught its priests and kings
something that no mortal man had every known before: sorcery. Touched by
the Shadow`s power, these individuals were able to command the arcane
forces at a level unparalleled by the Andu. We are certain that the Andu
practiced lesser magic, but Azrai`s dark sorcerers commanded true magic.

There are few new developments during the First Empire. The trends of
the previous period continue. As cultures rise and fall, the power of
the great gods wax and wane, inexorably linked to the number and
dedication of their followers. Eventually, six gods are recognized as
being the greatest among the gods. Anduiras patron of the Andu, the
Lawful Good god of War and Rulership, Basaïa patron of the Basarji, the
Lawful Neutral goddess of the Sun, Masela the patron of the Masetians,
the Neutral Good goddess of the Sea, Reynir patron of the Rjuven, the
neutral god of the Wild, Vorynn patron of the Vos, the Chaotic Good god
of the Moon CG, Brenna patron of the Brecht, the Chaotic Neutral god of
Luck.
Well, there are really seven gods, for Azrai patron of the Adurians,
neutral Evil god of Secrets and Magic is known to all. Initially, there
is little about Azrai that reveals his true nature. He poses as a
benevolent power of knowledge and magic. Eventually, his true nature
becomes apparent, but by then it is too late.

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
Arkhelan the Invincible
The land of the proto-Andu remained fractious until the time of King
Arkhelan. A great warrior and priest of Anduiras, he led the
citizen-soldiers of Kalah, the City of Dragons, to victory against the
other cities. By right of divine proclamation and the might of his
armies, Arkhelan united the land under his own rulership. Ruthlessly
crushing all opposition, especially that supported by this clergy and
that, Arkhelan made sure that those who opposed him were not only
defeated, but were eradicated from history. He also did much to abolish
the caste system prevalent in the city-states, rewarding ability and
dedication higher than lineage. Thus came to be the First Empire.
It is difficult to pinpoint in what years King Arkhelan lived, but it
must have been at some point prior to 2000BD. Most probably he lived
during the later half of the 23rd century and the beginning of the 22nd
century BD.

Warcraft
The reason for Arkhelan’s success lies partly in the organization of his
armies, of which written records exists in the library-chambers of the
Orthodox Temple. Like every contemporary army, Arkhelan relied on
spear-carrying heavy infantry to form the center of his line. The long
spear, the sarissa, was employed by massed infantry formations to form
nearly impenetrable units, called phalanxes, of armored men bristling
with metal spear points. In addition, the phalangite (as the infantryman
was called) was armed with shield, the large round hoplon, and a curved
slashing sword called the kopis (the kopis is unlike the swords of the
Khinasi in that one struck with the inside of the blade, not the
outside). Armor was relatively light by modern standard, consisting of a
breastplate, helmet and arm and leg protection. The unique nature of
phalanx combat meant, however, that the armor and shield together
offered quite adequate protection.
It was not in equipment, but in employment that Arkhelan`s infantry
differed from that of his contemporaries. Since the heavy cavalry was
made up of Andu warriors, it was by far the most prestigious of the
arms, and Andu tacticians generally thought cavalry to be the decisive
fighting arm. Battles were characterized by a short skirmish action,
followed by the opposing infantry phalanxes clashing together. While
they struggled, the heavy cavalry would seek to break the flank of the
enemy, to allow a subsequent oblique or flank charge of the infantry.
The army that managed to do this first would emerge victorious, for a
flank attack would quickly disrupt and shatter the phalanx. Thus,
battles were largely decided by the number and skill of heavy cavalry
employed.
Instead of using the infantry phalanx merely to hold the line, Arkhelan
turned it into part of his combined arms concept. Heavy cavalry remained
the primary striking weapon; heavy infantry was elevated in status to
equal that of heavy cavalry. Andu warriors served alongside the
citizen-soldiers, usually occupying the first three and the last
position of each file. The phalangites were also more extensively
trained in maneuver on the battlefield, and were evidently capable of
quite complex formations. In this they differed greatly from their
contemporaries, who were hardly able to shift formation at all - once
committed they fought on until one or the other broke.
Linked to the infantry center by a specially trained and equipped group
of elite heavy infantry, the cavalry would deploy on either flank. The
linking infantry was similar to the regular infantry, but were composed
tough Andu veterans who had one task only; to act as a hinge between the
main infantry phalanx and the cavalry. This innovation enabled the
cavalry to operate without becoming separated from the main fighting
force - something that when it happened resulted in it becoming
surrounded and destroyed.
Light infantry was also given more serious thought. Archers was the most
common type of missile troops. Bows seem to have been quite limited in
power, and they were probably not very efficient against heavy infantry.
Slingers were also used as missile troops, being quite effective against
other light troops. A second type of light infantry was the skirmisher -
a citizen-soldier with no armor and only a wicker shield and armed with
javelins and a sword for backup. While still secondary in importance,
Arkhelan nevertheless invested considerable time and effort in training
and equipping his light infantry. Light infantry was also trained in
cooperation with the heavy cavalry. Infantry would frequently double
with the cavalry for rapid tactical maneuvers, then disembark and
provide missile support and aid during combat with enemy infantry. This
proved a very clever tactic, as cavalry alone tend to get overwhelmed by
massed infantry during a prolonged melee.
Light cavalry was also used, mostly as scouts and for flank security.
During battle, they provided mobile fire support with their bows and
javelins. Light cavalry was also used as transports for smaller units of
heavy infantry; much like the heavy cavalry transported the light. This
ability to quickly redeploy his reserve of heavy infantry won Arkhelan
several battles.
The centerpiece of Arkhelan`s army was his famed heavy cavalry. Armed
with the long spear, which could be used as a lance, all cavalry wore
iron armor and carried the kopis. Arkhelan cavalry fought in a delta
formation, with a single man at the front. This was different from the
usual tactics of the day, which generally attacked in a square or
sometimes diamond formation. This formation was ideal for rapid wheeling
and withdrawal, and made penetrating other cavalry formations easier.
Arkhelan`s army was qualitatively superior to the armies that stood
against it. While outwardly similar, it was a composite force of various
arms acting together in concert instead of a static force relying on the
power of cavalry alone. Combined with the tactical brilliance of its
commander and the support of the war god Anduiras, Arkhelan was able to
win every battle in which his army fought.

Mythology
In addition to being a warrior and a king, Arkhelan was also the High
Priest of Anduiras, god of war and rulership (although several other
gods had overlapping portfolios). Anduiras was, not surprisingly, the
patron god of the Kalah and was later made the patron of the First
Empire.
The proto-Andu took the name "Andu" to honor the god of their great
leader. The worship of Anduiras became the state faith for the new
Empire, and Anduiras reached a level of importance to the Andu that no
other god has ever had. The link between the Andu and Anduiras is
forever cemented by his ascension to greatness, and the Andu`s great
progress in the lands of the living. Anduiras’ ascension is perhaps the
first instance of any god achieving such great power and status;
evidence points to him taking an increasingly important role in the
pantheons of other cultures as well. For instance, the Basarji may not
have know of him at all until Arkhelan, but within a few centuries he is
well-know as the General-Consort of Basaïa, the chief goddess of the
Basarji pantheon.
The pantheon is becoming much more stable and more orderly. Most gods
have clearly defined portfolios, and the portfolios do not overlap as
frequently as during previous periods. This is at least true among the
great gods; the lesser gods seems to have fewer restrictions. Anduiras
while the single true war god of the age, must still share dominion over
battle prowess with Gillamis and Tarshaan over horse-archery. The gods
are also becoming more differentiated in power. There are a small number
of great gods, of which Anduiras is one. Each great god heads the
pantheon in one culture, just as Anduiras do among the Andu. The great
gods are well known in all cultures, even those far away. There is a
large pool of lesser gods (of widely varying levels of power and
importance), some of which are know in all cultures, but most are
specific to only one or a few.
Spirits continue to lose importance, although this doesn’t seem to
affect their personal power as much as loosing worshippers do for gods.
Only the most powerful spirits have followings of their own; the rest
are reduced to independent entities or become agents of the gods. The
principal difference between gods and spirits is still the avatars and
the ability to grant powerful spells to their worshippers.
Clerics replace adept among the ranks of the priesthood, although some
still stay on in supporting roles. Their power is directly derived from
their patron god, and their actions are much more focused towards
accomplishing the worldly and spiritual goals of their god. True magic
is till unknown to man, but magicians are becoming more prolific. Druids
begin walking the earth, worshipping no particular god, but paying their
respects to all living things, gods and spirits. Theirs is an ancient
craft, carried on from the age of myth on the shoulders of countless
adepts.

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Green Knight
02-25-2003, 11:53 PM
The correct order is:

Age of Dreams

Age of Myth

Age of Legends
-First Legends
-City-states period
-Arkhelan
-First Empire
-Flight from Shadow

Age of History

Modern Age

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