Maybe I should start at the beginning, roughly 1200 years ago…
Magic that had begun as a primitive form among the humans continued to develop and take shape until it began to rival, even dwarf, the magical might of the elves. It was in the mighty city of Articus, the center of civilization, that the Council of Acheron was formed. Their control over the raw chaos of magic was unsurpassed. Mighty fortresses, and even entire cities, were carved from impenetrable rock and lifted into the air to float among the clouds.
There were some among the Acheron whose greed for power surpassed their wisdom, and a quest for dominance among the Magi had begun. A Magi named Rrathel, seduced by the promise of power from an Arch-Fiend named Abraccus, summoned the demon to serve him in war against his rivals, but the demon had plans of his own. War raged and the Acheron, under the guidance of the Magi Akailan, erected the Seven Seals to stave off the darkness that the demon sought to bring into the world.
The Seals formed an impenetrable barrier against the abyss through which evil could not pass. Abraccus, though banished and held at bay by the Seals, found a way to extend his touch through the breach to twist the hearts of mortal mages. Rrathel and many who followed him fought to destroy the Seals but Mordannon, his own apprentice, slew him before he could complete the task of destroying the final Seal.
The War of the Magi wrought a terrible destruction upon the world, and the great floating cities fell shattering to the ground. The Acheron had come to an end. Nearly all had been slain during the magical chaos that their war had unleashed. Those few who survived fled into obscurement and were hunted by the mobs of the un-gifted that sought to put an end to the Magi that enslaved them and brought such devastation.
With the passing of the Acheron and the destruction of their greatest cities, civilization had fallen into ruin. Primitive man and savage tribes of barbarians once more ruled the world. Without the advanced means in which to store knowledge very little is known of the lore of this time, and it was a long and slow process before man was able to reclaim some of the knowledge that was lost.
Gradually, over the centuries, civilization was reborn and once more kingdoms and nations were formed. Even the city of Articus was rebuilt and named Tienna Mar in tribute of the new dawn of civilization that was to come.
Once again with the recreation of wealth, knowledge, and lore, there came those who would covet it, thus began the War of Five Nations. Petty nations and tribes of barbarians set their greedy eye of upon the shinning city of Tienna Mar that stood alone as the new rebirth of culture and civilization. The war lasted for decades and reached to the very gates of the marble city.
The advanced training and discipline of the knights of Tienna Mar held the primitive hordes at bay for a time, but the war took its toll. The city’s hold upon the world had been broken, and the empire it strove to rebuild had crumbled.
Only with the rise in power of the Magi Queen Alenthia did Tienna Mar start to regain much of its former power. For 200 years she reigned and Tienna Mar thrived, but so did a new power in the South.
During the War of Five Nations the Asgran were but one roving band of savage barbarians that valued strength of arms and brutality above all other virtues. They were broken before the very gates of Tienna Mar and the shattered remains of their army were sent scurrying back into the tundra.
The city they had seen filled their hearts with wonder, and one leader among them named Caeculus put an end to their nomadic wandering and founded the city of Asgra. There they attempted to mimic the grandiose of the city they had strove to conquer.
In time Asgra became an Empire that rivaled even Tienna Mar in its glory. Through war and conquest Asgra brought much of the known world under its yoke, but through battle and bloodshed so did Asgra thrive in riches, culture, and civilization to become the center of Tera’fir. As its Empire spread so did other lesser nations adopt much of its culture and learning to add to the greatness of Asgra.
However, dark portents claim that Abraccus has once again found a way to extend his influence upon the world to seduce Queen Alenthia, tempting her to break the final seal that will unleash Abraccus upon Tera’Fir and grant the Queen the dominion over all that she has sought for so long.
If such rumors were to be believed, then dark times would soon be upon Tera’fir, and noble heroes must be called upon to stop her.