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Thread: Creation Myths

  1. #11
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    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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  2. #12
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    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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  3. #13
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    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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  4. #14
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    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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  5. #15
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    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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    Bjørn
    DM of Ruins of Empire II PbeM

  6. #16
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    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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    Bjørn
    DM of Ruins of Empire II PbeM

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