Overview

Set out below is a general introduction to The Kyngdoms. Here you will find a general overview of the world, plus highlights of its key aspects. Much of the information outlined here is filled out in much greater detail throughout the site.

The Aslah
The Aslah were the firstborn and were the children of Eradu. They are the gods of the cosmos, immortals with unimaginable power. Though they did not create the substance of the universe - this was created indirectly through Hoth - they have created everything in it: from the trees and flowers and creatures, to men and elves and dragons. All of their creations are born out of the substance of the universe - fire, earth, water, and air - as indeed they are themselves. The Aslah fall into two categories: Greater Gods and Demigods, all of whom vie for power and dominion.

Although imbued with great power and immortality, the Aslah are also flawed. In them are all the flaws that can be seen in their own creations: jealousy, hate, desire and greed, to name but a few. But there is also great beauty as well: love, forgiveness, tenderness and honesty. It is their general nature that draws them together or pushes them apart; the evil Aslah are drawn together, living in one of the many layered hells that the Aslah themselves created: Herophet, the fountain of evil which Gort himself built and imbued with his vileness, or Mulhata, or Talakos. The good Aslah are drawn to Damarkan, which has long stood against the tyranny of evil. Besides Damarkan there are also Paradorn, Wynord, and Henipur.

The shape of Arrasia has been forged by the Aslah, who brought to it both beauty and horror, good and evil. The battles of the Aslah have been fought wherever they or their subjects are found, with the aim of seeking dominion over all others. And though the Aslah are immortal and are not affected by the ever-blowing winds of time, their bodies can be broken and destroyed and their time ended. The spirits of the fallen Aslah rest in Paradorn, where The Keeper of Divine Spirits and his minions serve and protect them and, though many a faithful servant has tried, no Aslah has ever returned from that place.

Of the original nine children of Eradu, only Kavak remains and it is their offspring who now stride the worlds of Herophet and Damarkan. While most Aslah are born immortal, some have been great servants, released of their service and given the status of Aslah. Others still have drunk from the Fountain of the Immortals, through which the tears of Onnus flow. Only those whose heart is pure and whose mind is strong survive the metamorphosis from mortal to Aslah. And though many have tried, only a few have succeeded.

Arrasia - The World
Arrasia stands at the heart of all creation, where the elements and energies converge in a perpetual struggle. It is populated by all manner of beasts, both good and bad, where lands and ideals are fought for and where the gods themselves look for dominion and reverence. At the heart of Arrasia are the civilized kingdoms of men, elves and dwarves, whose histories are long and deep and whose cultures are complex and rich. Once, for a brief and glorious period under the stewardship of Karnish - the greatest of the free nations - these people and their nations were largely free of evil and enjoyed a period of prosperity and peace the likes of which had not been seen before. However, Ascension saw Zykerathox rise to take the throne of Herophet, a fire filled hell that had remained vacant since the previous Lord, Hakkan, had been vanquished over five-hundred years prior. Suddenly, Arrasia was once again cast into bloodshed, conflict and hatred as the world took center stage in a massive struggle not only between the peoples of Arrasia, but between the gods themselves as they strove for dominion over the world and its occupants.

Arrasia is a round planet which sits around a sun at the very center of everything. It is here that the elemental and energy forces of the universe overlap and clash in a violent struggle that cause calm seas to stir into great storms and the earth to shake and expel great rivers of lava from its bowels. However, such is the balance of the forces that overlap here, that no single one of them can dominate over the other for long and the equilibrium of Arrasia is thus maintained. Should this ever change, it is likely that Arrasia and all those that live there would be destroyed.

The world now stands amid chaos, war and terror. None can now claim to be safe or unaffected by the events unfolding around them and even the remotest and most barbaric narions are no longer free from the events that now consume them. Plague, pestilence and evil now stalk the lands, wild barbarian hordes attack mercilessly against weakened and undefended borders, and the civilized kingdoms stand on the brink of catastrophe.

Ascension: the Rise of Zykerathox and the Fourth Infernal Strife
The Long Peace under the rule of Karnish, which lasted for nearly 400 years - interrupted only by sporadic and small scale battles, primarily between Karnish and the forces of the Demigod Hith - was shattered when the goblin armies of the then Greater God Gygafrak emerged from their hidden fortresses to lay siege to the cities of Karnish.

Ever since the defeat of Hakkan had left the Citadel of Herophet empty, envious eyes had been cast towards it and now Gygafrak had made a decisive move to taking the throne. However, both Tettungba and Hith also showed their hand and both also made their bid for the greatest power of all - the dominion of Herophet.

Unseen by the three challengers for the rulership of Herophet, Zykerathox - the Steward of Herophet until the emergence of a new master - also saw the opportunity to take the throne himself. Not wishing to openly declare himself, Zykerathox manipulated events from the shadows to see Gygafrak, Tettungba, Hith and the people of Arrasia embroilred in a devastating war that only he stood to gain from.

Decieving the people of Arrasia into believing that his disguised cohorts were their allies, he soon had them embroiled in a war from which all would be seriously weakened and leave him unscathed. The unfortunate human dupes had soon pushed back the armies of Gygafrak, and also helped unravel the plots of Tettungba and leave Hith weakened and his amries demoralized.

Zykerathox now moved swiftly to claim the throne of Herophet and prepared and with his challengers defeated and weakened, Zykerathox ascended the throne of Herophet and declared himself the new Lord. None now dared to challange him and Zykerathox rsoe to become ninth Greater God of the Aslah.

The outcome of this totally unexpected ascension was a general decleration of war between the forces of evil and the emergence of the Fourth Infernal Strife, which saw the demons of Herophet pitted against the devils of Pakara. Fortunately for the people of Arrasia, who had been seriously weakened in their wars against the armies of evil, this distraction allowed them some respite and for a while it appeared as though the free people of Arrasia would emerge victorious with their lands still largely intact. Soon, however, the Infernal Wars spread into Arrasia and the people found themselves embroiled in an even greater struggle as The Great Chaos of Zykerathox consumed them all.

The Great Chaos of Zykerathox
Despite being embroiled in the Fourth Infernal Strife, which saw the vast majority of the forces of evil consumed in a struggle between themselves, Zykerathox nonetheless quickly turned his thoughts to the people of Arrasia and saw dominion over them as essential. Firstly, they were strong and dangerous opponents, as they had shown in their wars against his erstwhile enemies, Gygafrak, Tettungba and Hith. Secondly, their dominion would enhance his power and status amongst the Aslah and strengthen his position as the new lord of Herophet.

So it was that he unleashed his forces upon the weakend, war-weary and unexpectant folk of Arrasia. Still recovering from their wars against Gygafrak, Tettungba and Hith, the free nations felt the fall wrath of Zykerathox and realized their own folly in unwittingly helping bring about his ascension. The Midlands saw the reemergence of Amman as Zykerathox called upon that ancient alliance to once again stand against the people of Arrasia and the lands were soon embroiled in a bitter and bloody war. The strains and tensions amongst the Norvs, the hardy people of the North, soon saw the outbreak of war amongst them as the ancient enemy reignited the old wars, while the Southlands, where Karnish had for so long stood dominant against the forces of evil, saw its borders under siege from not only the forces of Zykerathox, but also from Hith, as the Infernal Strife continued unabaited now on Arrasia itself. As if that were not enough for the people of Arrasia to contend with, into this chaos also came the barbarian hordes of the South and the Urgolians of the East, who represented none but themselves and who even the forces of Zykerathox feared.

So was the peace of the world shattered and replaced with chaos. The lands withered, nations were overrun and those that survived hung in the balance, their forces stretched, their borders under constant attack and their people no longer safe.

The Black Undeath of Zykerathox
With Zykerathox now fighting a war on two fronts - both on Arrasia and in the Outer Dimensions - his forces were stretched. On Arrasia, the races and nations rallied and allied against him, but would have nonetheless fallen to defeat had it not been for the re-emergence of Hith, whose forces threatened for a time to defeat Zykerathox, who was forced now to concentrate his forces against an enemy he had thought defeated.

With the imminent threat of defeat staring him in the face, Zykerathox unleased a new terror across the land - the Black UnDeath of Zykerathox - which swept through much of the South in a deadly onslaught. Thousands of people were soon ill and dying from the deadly disease, which saw their flesh blacken, slowly appearing to rot and causing a terrible stench, while their faces swelled up into painful and terrifying contortions. Ravaged from the excruiating suffering and rapidly deteriating bodies, this disease had one more surpise in store - instead of falling into a peaceful death, their bodies instead rose and walked as undead, murdering those that had once loved and cared for them and feasting upon their flesh.

The people grew increasingly afraid and the armies left weakened and often depleted, leaving Zykerathox to concentrate the majority of his forces against Hith who had dared to challenge him upon Arrasia itself. Undead now walked upon the once fertile lands of what had once been a part of Karnish, taken by the disease that ravaged them. Zykerathox's most trusted minions were left to continue the war against Karnish, while his main forces met against those of Hith in a war that would scortch and destory the earth.

The March of the Barbarian Hordes
With the armies of the people of Arrasia now at the center of the raging conflict between Zykerathox, Hith and Karnish, and ravaged from the Black Undeath of Zykerathox, the barbarian hordes could no longer be contained and they spilled over the borders from their wild and untamed lands and made war upon the nations of Arrasia, especially in the South where their numbers were greatest.

Fortunately for the defenders, the attacks were - and have remained - uncoordinated and riven by internal strife and tribal conflict. Nonetheless they remain formidable enough foes, greatly feared for their aggressive raids and sorties, which are infamous for their ferocity and bloodlust. Whole villages and even some towns have been overrun, trashed and burnt to the ground in the wild tide. Although they mainly prefer quick and devestating raids across the border regions of the civilized nations, it is not unheard of for swift and deadly raids deep into the hearlands of some nations.

Although the barbarian hordes have on occasion been recruited by the forces of evil (in particular, Zykerathox, who delights in duping them into fighting for him before casting them against his enemies in a ferocious wave of raging barbarians), they are by and large independant and attack both good and evil in equal measure, as their whim (and their fancy) take them. Indeed, such is the uncompromising brutality and ferociousness of their frenzied attacks that even the most fearless of Zykerathox's armies have been known to break ranks and flee at the sight of their onlsaught - and several of his biggest defeats have come at the hands of the barbarian hordes. Unfortunately for the enemies of Zykerathox, the same is also true of them.

The Rise of Amman and the Reunification
For almost five-hundred years, the reviled nation of Amman had seen its borders reduced and its once great nation split into smaller provinces, mostly under the control of its vanquishers, Karnish. Standing alone, the evil nation of Amman-Mon, but a shadow of its former glorious self, had been at war almost constantly with its longstanding enemies throughout the Age of Karnish. Karnish, Syrámä, Hjothdale, and the elves of The Endless Forest, amongst others, had kept up their vigil against the old enemy throughout this period and Amman-Mon was all but defeated.

However, the dark name of Amman was still well remembered in Herophet and its people regarded as loyal subjects and worthy allies. So it was that Zagraxsus turned his attention in their direction and, harking back to the reign of Hakkan and the Age of Amman, he called upon the people of Amman-Mon to rise once again and make war upon their ancient enemies, who had for so long defeated and ridiculed them. Backed by legions of Zykerathox's forces, including Infernal creatures from the deepest pits of Herophet, Amman-Mon cast off its shackles and declared war upon Karnish. Already caught up in their war with Zykerathox, Karnish was no match for this unlooked for reemergence of their great enemy and their armies were soon overrun. In a series of key victories, Amman-Mon quickly took back large swathes of their ancient lands, which were now reunified under a dark and ancient flag, Amman.

Syrámä and the elves of The Endless Forest united against the evil forces of Amman and the war ignited into a vicious and bloody affair, with neither side giving quarter. Magasoa threw its weight behind their old ally and soon the entire region was dragged into war. Amman was forced to concentrate their forces against the onslaught of their enemies, allowing Karnish some repsite to rebuild the defenses of Amman-dur and re-establish their rule in the area, although civil strife is now a common problem.

So Amman rose as a nightmare from the past to once again cast its long, dark shadow across the green plains of Mid-Arrasia, unified under its ancient banner and baying for the revenge of almost five-hundred years of supression and humiliation. And as of old, they threw themselves willingly under the rulership of the Lord of Herophet, now in the guise of Zykerathox.

The Coming of the Urgolians
After a sustained period of bloody strife, Urgolia had emerged east of The Golden Peaks as a serious threat to the mid-nations of Arrasia. Even long before the ascension of Zykerathox and his war against the people of Arrasia, they had been making daring and audacious raids across The Golden Peaks against the nations of Syrámä, Zaramal and Bayfork, as well as the elves of The Endless Forest. However, riven with internal strife and hemmed in by mountains and forest, these raids were sporadic and infrequent.

The rise to power of Sonred the Merciless, however, who claimed a direct blood-line to Nuhata himself, saw Urgolian tribal chiefs unite under a single banner, the sun banner of Sonred. Mustering his forces, Sonred led them successfully through the The Endless Forest and into Syrámä where they took their enemy unawares and pillaged the land and sacked towns and villages. Before Syrámä could muster their army, Sonred turned his forces around and they were gone, retreating back into the east as quickly as they had come. So began a pattern of attacks that saw massive strikes against the nations west of The Golden Peaks, with the Urgolians making quick and decisive raids, before retreating back once again to the safety of their vast and open land.

This pattern has continued unabated, with Urgolia making deeper and deeper raids into Syrámä, striking fear into the east of that country. With the forces of Syrámä tied up in their battle with Amman, they all too often find themselves undermanned and ill-prepared to fight the Urgolian horsemen of the East, whose forces seem to vanish without a trace before Syrámä can muster their forces.

So it is that Syrámä now finds itself fighting a war on two fronts, against Amman in the west and the Urgolians of Sonred the Merciless in the east. It is only Sonred's inability to maintain his armies for long periods, being far from their homes, that has saved them from being overrun, as Sonred is forced to retreat and relinquish his gains, only to recapture them months, or even years, later.

The Shadow of Olmus
Far to the east, beyond The North Lands and The Plains of Fenoria, can be found the Isle of the Black Mage and the Desolate Lands to it's north. Ever since the myseterious appearance of the black tower and its master, the Black mage, the lush and fertile lands have been assualted with pestilence, fire, and the rise of foul and evil creatures. The halfling nation of Eassen was soon completely overwhelmed and turned into a fiery desert, later becomming known as the Desolate Lands. Not long after this, the same fate fell upon the dwarves of The Burnt Hills who, despite fighting valiantly, were overwhelmed and their citadels destroyed, pushing them ever further east. Elsewhere, the Desolate Lands continued to consume the lands around it with its fire, turning everything it touched into a barren and inhospitable wasteland.

What has brought about this terror upon this remote region of Arrasia, none have yet discovered, though all eyes have turned to the Black Mage who yet sits unknown upon their throne in the mysterious tower. Lights flash and lightning crackles around the tower's summit in a constant display of pyrotechnics. Many believe that the Black Mage is, indeed, Olmus, one of the nine children of Eradu who went insane and was finally (or so it was supposed) murdered by Hakkan. There are many who now believe that she was not killed by Hakken as legends say, and has now retruned to wreak her revenge. Others speculate that she has escaped Paradorn and the Hall of the Divine Spirits and has arisen as a powerful shadow of her former self, bent on the destruction of Arrasia in her madness.