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</ref> The few who inhabited it called themselves the ''Ryôth-Shakai'', or the "People of the Ruins," who lived as nomads on the inhospitable continent. They followed a pantheistic religion and saw Starfall as nature's punishment for the greedy, disrespectful lifestyles of their people, their enemies, the Aeterna, and their leader, Asâtoron.
 
</ref> The few who inhabited it called themselves the ''Ryôth-Shakai'', or the "People of the Ruins," who lived as nomads on the inhospitable continent. They followed a pantheistic religion and saw Starfall as nature's punishment for the greedy, disrespectful lifestyles of their people, their enemies, the Aeterna, and their leader, Asâtoron.
  
Around the year 2700 a. St., a war broke out among the different tribes, leading to the eventual extinction of the People of the Ruins. Around the same time, an event known as the "Flowering" occurred, wherein the land suddenly began to blossom again. The Endraleans view this event as a "gift" of the Light-Born Malphas to pave the way for the continent's development by the [[Enderal:First_Vassals|First Vassals]], which would not take place until 1300 years later.
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Around the year 2700 a. St., a war broke out among the different tribes, leading to the eventual extinction of the People of the Ruins. Around the same time, an event known as the "Flowering" occurred, wherein the land suddenly began to blossom again. The Endraleans view this event as a "gift" of the [[Lore:Light-Born|Light-Born]] [[Lore:Malphas|Malphas]] to pave the way for the continent's development by the [[Enderal:First_Vassals|First Vassals]], which would not take place until 1300 years later.
  
 
=== The Development by the First Vassals (4001 a. St.) ===
 
=== The Development by the First Vassals (4001 a. St.) ===

Revision as of 00:10, 24 January 2019

Map of Enderal, drawn by Magistra Yaela on behalf of the Holy Order in the year 8233 a. St.

Enderal is a country comprising the mainland of the continent of Enderal, Kor's Island (Insula Koris), and numerous smaller islands. The land is composed of 13 distinct regions, seven settlements, of which three have been abandoned for a long time by the time of the arrival of the Prophet, and numerous ruins, caverns, dungeons, and other landmarks full of dangerous creatures and people, living and undead. Enderal is Vyn's third or fourth largest continent by total land area, after the forgotten realm of Arktwend, Nehrim, and Qyra. The capital of Enderal is Ark. Ark is Enderal's largest city by both population size and land area; it is also Enderal's oldest continuously occupied settlement (and one of the oldest in all of Vyn), having stood since the early 4000s after Starfall (a. St.). The failed second city of Thalgard would have been the second largest city but, ever since its collapse in 6136 a. St. after the pollution caused by the Sun Fire, an irresponsible experiment conducted by the Keeper Dal'Marak in the hopes of making the land around Thalgard more fertile, the area's only occupants are the highly aggressive and mysterious Sunborn. The town of Fogville, reputedly one of two possible hometowns of the infamous serial killer Jaél Tannerson, better known as the Butcher of Ark, has been abandoned for an unknown length of time, having since been occupied by the grotesque creatures known as the Arp. The mining town of Northwind has also been abandoned for an unknown length of time; it is occupied by Lost Ones and other undead creatures. Thus, the second largest settlement in Enderal is Duneville, followed by the sleepy villages of Riverville and Silvergrove. Enderal has an incredibly diverse geography, climate, and wildlife for a continent its size.

History

Before the Light-Born (0 a. St. - 4001 a. St.)

In the years immediately after Starfall, Enderal consisted largely of barely habitable wasteland. Only a few Ash People had fled there, primarily due to the remote location and the harsh living conditions in other continents.[1] The few who inhabited it called themselves the Ryôth-Shakai, or the "People of the Ruins," who lived as nomads on the inhospitable continent. They followed a pantheistic religion and saw Starfall as nature's punishment for the greedy, disrespectful lifestyles of their people, their enemies, the Aeterna, and their leader, Asâtoron.

Around the year 2700 a. St., a war broke out among the different tribes, leading to the eventual extinction of the People of the Ruins. Around the same time, an event known as the "Flowering" occurred, wherein the land suddenly began to blossom again. The Endraleans view this event as a "gift" of the Light-Born Malphas to pave the way for the continent's development by the First Vassals, which would not take place until 1300 years later.

The Development by the First Vassals (4001 a. St.)

Shortly after the Light-Born rose to power, Enderal was alotted to Malphas as his domain. It was to serve as the headquarters of his Order, whose Keepers would dedicate themselves to the protection of the Light-Born.

The proto-Endraleans, who are called the First Vassals by their descendants, led by Selna and Ketaron, were the first 200 people to settle the land of Enderal, which was "[s]ecluded and perilous, an untamed land," where wild animals roamed freely, and "rich forests reached from east to west and from south up to north's wintry mountains."[2] After traveling several months by ship, they landed on Enderal and began settling it. The Endraleans base their calendar on the events of the "Far Journey," documented in their holy book, The Path:

  • The Departure: The First Vassals set sail towards Enderal.[3]
  • The Hunger Days: The journey takes longer than expected. Hunger breaks out. The 24 Pathless Ones rebel against Malphas's word, stealing the Path-Abiding Vassals' food and leaving them to die of thirst and hunger at sea, for which Malphas punishes them as the first Lost Ones. [4]
  • The Kraken: A Kraken attacks the First Vassals' remaining ship. Ketaron's sacrifice defeats the monster.[5]
  • The Winter Star: The First Vassals spot the red shining star that shows the pioneers the way to the coast of Enderal for the first time.[6]
  • The Arrival: The First Vassals dock on the west coast, in what will later be known as the Sun Coast, and set foot on Enderal for the first time.[7]
  • The Groundbreaking: Selna breaks the ground with her sword to form the base of a fence around the first settlement in Enderal in the Whisperwood, back when it was still healthy and vibrant.[8]
  • The Exploration: The first exploration parties are sent out east to scout the wilderness of Enderal's land.[9]
  • The Fundament: Ark is founded, and Malphas erects, overnight, a wall around the location that would serve as the fundament for the Sun Temple.[10]
  • The Bloodmoon:[footnotes 1] With his magic, Malphas makes the land around Ark fertile, creating the modern-day river Larxes.[11]
  • Kilra's Treason: One of the first pioneers, Kilra, along with 20 followers, rebels against the Holy Order; after his defeat, he is executed in the first trial in Endralean history.[12]
  • The First Harvest: The first grain harvest is reaped since the arrival of the First Vassals on Enderal.[13]
  • The Summer Night:[footnotes 2] The stars in the sky turn red, marking the end of the first year of Endralean history.[14]

To this day, the First Vassals are considered the epitome of honor, discipline, and the spirit of discovery, for which the people of Enderal still revere them.

The Expansion and the Sunfire (6128 n. St. - 6136 n. St.)

Dal'Marak. Does the name ring a bell? He was an Arcanist who lived around 2000 years ago. Back then, the Order planned to build a second city here in Enderal, situated in a region we now call Goldenforst. But, as it turned out, the place was everything but a good choice for a settlement. No crop would grow there, and the water made the settlers sick. So, three years after the founding of the first settlement, Malaph, the Order forced the settlers to abandon the mission and return to Ark. But, as things are with vain personalities, Dal'Marak, who had been in charge of the mission, didn't like that idea at all. Malaph had been his dream, and so he wanted to hold on to it, no matter what the price. One of his ways to do so was a device he called the "Sunwheel"... An old, Pyrean construction which was meant to make the barren lands fertile again. You can figure the rest. One night, there was a bright flash of light, and since then, Thalgard has been contaminated... apart from a few animals and the Sun-Born-savages whose brains have been rotted by the green fog there it's deserted. In the first few centuries to follow, the fog spread as far as Goldenforst, but by now, it has receded from there.

— Yerai Dal'TerrowinApotheosis, Part I

There were plans to establish a second great city in the northeastern region of Enderal known as Goldenforst. The Sublime, Dal'Marak, led the effort, wherein his party advanced to Goldenforst and built Fortress Wellwatch and the beginnings of Thalgard, which was to have a new Sun Temple.

As it turned out, the place was everything but a good choice for a settlement: No crop would grow there, and the water sickened the settlers. So, three years after the founding of the first settlement, Malaph, the Order forced the settlers to abandon the mission and return to Ark. Dal'Marak, who was a senior Arcanist of the Order, discovered an unusual constellation of ruins near Thalgard, at the center of which was a device he called the "Sunwheel," an old Pyrean construction which was meant to make the barren lands fertile again by bundling the power of the Sun and breathing life back into death together with magic. Despite the other Arcanists' warnings, he committed himself to the project and began to experiment with the Sunwheel. The result was nothing short of catastrophic:

One night, on the month of the Fundament, 6136 a. St., a bright flash of light illuminated all of Enderal. Around the Sunwheel, a poisonous green fog began spreading out over the entire Goldenforst, turning it into a nearly uninhabitable wasteland. The settlers who remained lost their minds, with pustules forming on their bodies and their extremities swelling. In their anguish and madness, they attacked each other and ate all manner of animals and even other humans.

A rescue party attempted to enter the area, but the damaging effects of the poisonous fog were instantaneous, and all of its members perished.

Goldenforst eventually recovered to its current state after fifty years, but Thalgard, as the epicenter of the disaster, remains contaminated by the effects of the Sunfire; to this day, the area around Thalgard is virtually inaccessible.

Dal'Marak is regarded as the epitome of misguided idealism and greed for knowledge, beyond one's own path. Out of this tragedy arose the expression, "Burn in the Sunfire!.

The Bloodmoon Revolt (7288 a. St. – 7290 a. St.)

Well, I'm not a chronicler, but there was this riot in Ark, somewhere around 7288. It was led by a woman from the Undercity, Kilana Hammerfist and she and her rebels had their camp in that valley. In 7290, the Order wiped them out.

It was a massacre, and up to this day, the valley is littered with bones.

— Erica BravebloodA Touching Effigy

There have been relatively few civil conflicts on Enderal, especially when compared to the devastation of Zoras's war in Myar Aranath and the resulting Aeterna refugee crisis,[15] the war that caused the abandonment of Arktwend,[16] and the numberless wars between the Middlerealm, the Northrealm, and the Southrealm on the continent of Nehrim.

The Bloodmoon Revolt was the greatest rebellion against the regime of the Light-Born since the foundation of Enderal. Kilana Hammerfist, a craftswoman, marshaled the residents of the Undercity and impoverished workers against the subjugation of the Order. She doubted the divinity of Malphas ("why would a God tolerate hunger and suffering?) and stood up for the rule of the many.

The revolt lasted only 2 years, but, in that time, it claimed numerous lives on both sides. In the end, the rebels were wiped out completely at their base in today's Dark Valley, where they had occupied an old monastery. The Order convinced Kilana to surrender, promising to spare her followers; when she had done so, the Order proceeded to liquidate every single rebel. Since the moon shone red that night, it was called the "Bloodmoon Night."

Due to the numerous people who fell in the Dark Valley, the region is now considered cursed. The occurrence of the Lost Ones is far higher than in other areas, which the common people attribute to Kilana's wrath even from death.

Although the Order officially regrets the massacre, it still condemns the rebels and the nature of the revolt.

The Isolation (8202 a. St.)

Yeah, that's what we call the decree that was made 30 years ago here in Enderal. Put simply, the Order decided to reduce their trade with other countries of the civilized world to a minimum. Not a very economical choice to make, but that was roughly the time when the Light-Born Erodan "left" Nehrim. The Order was probably afraid a similar thing could happen in Enderal. You know, open harbors quicken exchange of information, which in return quickens rebellious thinking, and so on. Since the decree, trading in Enderal is subject to very strict regulations, and only the wealthy can still afford things like Tirmatralean wine or Kiléan spices.

— Jespar Dal'VarekThe Void

In response to the death of the Light-Born Erodan and the fear of foreign influences — and thus to the emergence of rebellious thinking — the Order issued decrees at Malphas's behest to reduce trade with other countries (especially progressive ones such as Qyra and Nehrim) to a minimum. Although indispensable and rare goods are still imported, all trade is subject to strict regulations. In addition, merchants are rarely allowed to leave the port area in Duneville or Ark.

The result was an even greater impoverishment of the Endralean lower class due to a shortage of goods such as metal or sulfur, which were once imported. Large mines were built and cheap labor was needed. The result was slave-like working conditions, especially in the Powder Mine near Duneville and the Tarpit under Ark.

Government

Enderal is a theocratic military dictatorship ruled by the Holy Order, the military unit of the Light-Born that was first established in Enderal by the Light-Born Malphas and his vassal Selna and expanded to other regions of the "Civilized World," namely, Nehrim, where its Keepers were known as the Seraphim, Qyra, and the coasts of Arazeal and its capital, Xarmonar.

There are three major leadership positions within the Order:

Grandmaster of the Holy Order

The Grandmaster is the leader and commander of the Holy Order. The position was first established by Malphas with Dagis as the first Grandmaster, assisted by his mother, Selna, the first Truchessa. This event is detailed in Verse LXXVII of The Path. The position of Grandmaster stands on the Fourth Signet, the highest level of the hierarchy within the Order, sharing this position only with the Truchessa. The Grandmaster has total control over the Holy Order and its troops and is revered as a religious leader overshadowed only by Malphas himself.

It is unknown if a man must always occupy the position of Grandmaster. The first Grandmaster, Dagis, and the current Grandmaster, Tealor Arantheal, are both men, and, although no restriction exists in Malphas's original definition of the position as written in The Path, a later book, The Holy Order, refers to the Grandmaster solely as "he."

A Grandmaster can choose their successor before they leave their position, usually from a high-ranked and trusted Keeper.

Truchessa of the Holy Order

The Truchessa is the second-in-command of the Holy Order, acting as an adviser for the Grandmaster. Malphas established the position with Selna as its first holder, assisting her son, Dagis, the first Grandmaster. This definition is recorded in Verse LXXVII of The Path.

It is unknown if the position of Truchessa must always be occupied by a woman. The first holder, Selna, and the current Truchessa, Natara Dal'Veram, are both women, but no restriction exists in Malphas's original definition of the position as written in The Path, and there are no sources that indicate the existence of such a restriction.

Unlike with the Grandmaster, the method of succession for the position of Truchessa is unknown, as it is also not specified in Malphas's original definition, and no other sources have shed light on the issue.

Signet Leader of the Holy Order

The Signet Leader is the third-in-command of the Holy Order, whose duties include the supervision of Novices' initiation trials for their exaltation to Keepers of the First Sigil. Unlike with the positions of Grandmaster and Truchessa, no sources indicate its establishment, but a tentative presumption is that it is a position about as old as the others and that Malphas established it.

Additionally, it is a complete mystery who was the first holder of the position of Signet Leader; its current holder is Jorek Bartarr.

Notes

  1. This month was named "The Golden Moon" in its original description in The Path, but its current name is "The Bloodmoon". The reason for this change is unknown.
  2. his month was named "Star Summer Night" in its original description in The Path, but the initial "Star" was dropped for unknown reasons.

Sources

  1. The Path, Tome 1: The Chaos, V.
  2. The Path, Tome 4: The Departure, XXV.
  3. The Path, Tome 4: The Departure, XXXIII.
  4. The Path, Tome 5: The Hunger Days, XXXIV.
  5. The Path, Tome 7: The Kraken, LVIII.
  6. The Path, Tome 8: The Arrival, LIX.
  7. The Path, Tome 8: The Arrival, LX.
  8. The Path, Tome 8: The Arrival, LXI.
  9. The Path, Tome 8: The Arrival, LXIII.
  10. The Path, Tome 9: The Fundament, LXVIII.
  11. The Path, Tome 9: The Fundament, LXXIV.
  12. The Path, Tome 11: The Treason, LXXXIX.
  13. The Path, Tome 12: The Star Summer Night, XCII.
  14. The Path, Tome 12: The Star Summer Night, XCIX.
  15. Dal-Monag, Derrek. “Myar Aranath.” Vyn - A Geographical Overview, pp. 17-18.
  16. Dal-Monag, Derrek. “Arktwend/Tirmatral.” Vyn - A Geographical Overview, pp. 19-20.