The Age of the Drakes

"Of the first age, little is known, save for one thing -- the dragons ruled all Elanthia. There are no written records of this time, but paintings on the walls of caves, carvings on petrified trees and glyphs found in the Southron Wastes all convey the same desperate messages, of flight, fear, and starvation. Above all, the mighty wings and claws of dragonkind." -Lisandrych Illistim, First Master of Lore, Noble House of Illistim

The Rule of Dragonkind

From the dawn of time, none challenged the dragons. Intelligent, savage, and with powers beyond what men now name as gods, the drakes called all of Elanthia their own. The lesser races huddled in caves, hid in The deepest forests, or wandered as nomads. The drakes did not permit Civilizations other than there own. So it had always been, and so it Would remain.
It was only the intervention of the drake's servants, the Arkati, that allowed the lesser races to survive at all. As old a race as the drakes themselves, the humanoid Arkati were lesser in both powers and numbers. But they aided the drakes, and in return, the drakes suffered the lesser races to live.

The Ur-Daemon War

All this ended with the coming of the Ur-Daemons. Now believed to be extra-dimensional intelligent creatures, the Ur-Daemons somehow opened a portal to Elanthia approximately 100,000 years ago. They fed on mana, both that contained in the land's natural mana foci and that bound around all life.
There are no real records of the titanic battles fought between the Ur-Daemons and the dragons. Given the nature of the antagonists, it is doubtful that any histories could convey the scale of such a war. It seems to have lasted for at least several generations, as such were counted by our own ancestors, a span of at least a thousand years. In the end, the Ur-Daemons were driven back, making a final stand before the portal leading back to their own dimension. This final battle blasted the landscape for hundreds of miles, leaving it barren and lifeless.
The drakes had won, but they had also lost. Most of their number had been slain in the conflict, and many others had been driven mad by an emotion none had known before - fear. Drake rule was shattered forever.
Though lesser in number and weaker than their ancient brethren, the few dragons that survive today have not lost their appetites, and are still the most powerful and feared creatures on Elanthia.

The Coming of the Arkati (100,000 years ago?)

The land recovered slowly from the war. The Arkati worked to heal it. Long the dragon's servants, they had themselves learned how to manipulate mana. With most of the dragons dead, insane, or hiding, certain of the Arkati began to mold the land and its lesser races into their own likenesses. They who had been servants now played the part of master.
These Arkati are those whom we today call gods. It is said that, in these early days, they walked the land as teachers, leaders, and guides. Imaera took the people of the forests, and taught them to be one with the land. Eonak showed the folk of the stone how to mine riches from the mountains. Oleani adopted the smaller folk of the valleys, instilling in them a joy for life and a special gift for growing things.
Others of the Arkati chose not individual races, but seasons, emotions, or tasks to be their own. Kai accepted warriors of all sorts, and Lumnis embodied wisdom and learning. Ronan controlled the night, the time of dreams, while Phoen's was the warm sun of summer. Imaera chose the autumn, while Lorminstra reigned over winter, the season of death. The raging seas were Sharl domain. Jastev's followers celebrated visual arts, and developed a gift of prophecy, while his twin Cholen became the god of festivals and performing arts. Tonis, remarkable for his speed and determination, became the messenger of the gods. Over all of them ruled Koar, with a firm but gentle hand.
Not all of the Arkati chose to help rebuild the land. Some had a different vision. Without the dragons controlling them, they began to strive against the others. Eorgina, Goddess of the dark, became their leader. Aligned with her were Ivas, mistress of seduction, Fash'lo'nae, master of the arcane arts, Andelas the Cat, whose joy is others' pain, and V'tull, the dark warrior. Also joined with Eorgina were Sheru, bringer of terror and nightmares, Mularos, who twists love to control and destroy, and Luukos, he who feeds on souls.
The two groups grew further apart, as it was clear each regarded the land in a different light. Koar's faction saw it as a trust which had befallen them, the lesser races as children to be taught. The others saw the land as a stage for their own desires, its inhabitants as playthings, food, or worse.
Strangely enough, the Arkati never came into open conflict. Some say that neither side trusted its strength to win the day. Others believe they simply await the appointed time.

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