Masabral The Black Lord of West has resurfaced, it is unclear how he came back to life, but he has come back to extract his revenge on the races of the realm. The union of Dwarfs, Elves and Men had beaten back to the black lands that had spawned his malicious form, but now he has returned as a shade bound to the world by an unknown force. Regardless of what it is he has to be held at bay once again for the races to push him back once again and break his earthly bound once and for all. The four dwarf kings of Iron, Gold, Silver and Bronze have called and the Sons of Stone have answered their kings call to stall the tides of darkness. The Silvan and High kings of the elves despite the immense hatred of the dwarves also sent contingents to help aide the Sons of Stone. That is if they didn't end up killing each other first. Valuing life though the Elven captains and generals sent are not to throw away their life so frivolously. Ordered to retreat if the task seems too daunting. Of the kingdoms of men the most numerous volunteer company's are raised to help but the prospects of death drive them away, only the most courageous and self sacrificing of men go. Mostly knights but the common folk come with a sense of duty to at least help the darwves and elves they've never seen. A company of Black Cloaks, a group of northern rangers have also come. Perhaps the group can mend the wounds between Elf and Dwarf during this trying time. Since they're one of the few groups that hold allegiance and friendship to both of the races. Also several mercenary company's trek to the Black Fortress, if they help the Sons of Stone to push back Masabral and gain some of the untold riches of the dwarf kings. There hasn't been alliance of the three since the old times and no that Masabral has come back from the dead he seeks vengeance against those that destroyed his physical body thousands of years ago. Will the pride of the elves or the stubbornness of the dwarves give loose and destroy each other allowing the tides of the abyss to overwhelm the land [hider=Timeline] [u][i][b]~Unrecorded Years, Over 15,000 years ago~ [/b][/i][/u] -Rogrim and his four brothers awake from stone -The first of the Elves ascend from their sacred tree Elseri -Rogrim and the first elf king Qulirin make a bond of friendship -The first men come in crudely made boats from the east. In good will the dwarves show men how to smelt copper, the elves teach them farming so that they can prosper -The first tides of darkness start their rising from the lands of the west. Trolls and Goblins spawn from the black marshlands and begin marching east. -Dwarves and elves form the first alliance and destroy the goblin troll onslaught. [b][i][u]Age of the Wars 15,000 - 8,000[/u][/i][/b] 14,789 - Masabral first appears from the West 14,780 - First meeting of Masalbral, Dwarf and Elven kings and Lords of Men. Signing the treaty of East and West 13,250 - Orcs are first bred in the west. 12,000 - Mithril is first found in the mountains but the dwarves are unable to process the material only stockpile for later use. 11,250 - Mithril forging is worked threw the craftsmen of elves and dwarves. In this same year the first unified kingdom of men emerges, King Charilles begins the Tusran dynasty. 10,323 - Orcs, goblins and troll begin crossing the western expanse setting up camp in preparation of attack. 10,319 - Stone King Garvir and the first recorded history of the Stone Son's set out against the evil threat. On the march Garvir's illiterate bastard son Ragri hymns the first heard account Rogrim's Death Song 10,318 - Stone King Garvir and Silvan Elf King Ravri march against this host of darkness. Coming to find that Masabral leads this host. In the onsueing battle Garvir, Ragri and the others of his line perish. Thus ending the line of stone, the most prestigious of the ruling king lines. Masabral pushed back into the west 9,996 - The Black Fortress on the borders of the west is erected. At the base of the of the Black mountains it is built to keep eye on the lands beyond. Built by dwarves and men. 8,500 - The Greed wars start. The kings and lords of men upon glimpses of the dwarvern treasury lust for the riches of the mountains. 8,495 - Lord Ghardal leads a force of ten thousand men against the dwarf city Hazdrual. 8,494 - Several other human lords gain inspiration from Ghardal and lead their own forces against the dwarves for their riches. 8,490 - Ghardal is crushed by a bolder in the defense of Hazdrual. Elves help the dwarves by embarking in skirmish campaigns against the human invaders 8,000 - Marks the end of nearly five hundred years of war and the last years of Age of War. [b][i][u]Age of Pride and Arrogance 8,000-3000[/u][/i][/b] 7,505 - King Garlan Tusran publicly cuts his hand off in front of the dwarf and elven kings as penance for his forebears ill will. Relations between the races have never reached a better agreement in mutual friendship. 6,307 - High Prince Bervri of the Elves is captured by Masabral. Killed slowly as he was skinned alive. 6,305 - Bervri's father Corlo enraged at his sons death and hearing the skin of his son is now Masabral's war flag. Calling the races to war again. 6,299 - Masabral takes the Black Fortress but shortly after is humiliated in the day light hours. Masabral is beheaded, quartered and burned. His charred remains spread to the corners of the land with his head tossed in the Eastern Sea. 5,104 - The Tusran Twins Vertox and Vaera destroy the Tusran dynasty by refusing to marry each other. Fleeing to the north starting the Black Cloaks. Rangers both male and female loyal to the realm, coming out when the need is great. Starting Formane dynasty threw the line of the queen sister Avera Formane 3,800 - King Arsten of the White woods dies suddenly without warning. Leaving the young queen Shyael and her son Orist to rule 3,123 - Iron King Targrir delivers a monument of gilded silver for the late king Arsten. Catching the eye of queen Shyael, igniting a spark that would let to massive amounts of blood shed 3,000 - Queen Shyhael leaves the White woods to Targrir's home in the Twin mountains. Orist furious at his mother's disappearance calls for war against the dwarves. [b][i][u]Age of the Race Wars and Masabral's Return 3,000 - Present[/u][/i][/b] 2,998 King Torgrir barcades himself and his kin along with queen Shyael as the enraged elves block the entrance to their mountain home, pushing back the dwarves by the day. Walking over the corpses of the dead pushing into the mountain. 2,997 - Orist storms the mountain killing King Torgrir and his sons, Shyael throwing herself into a chasm after seeing Torgrir severed head. In an act of desperation Morlea Firebraid, Torgrir's only daughter puts on her eldest brothers armor. Charging against Orist pushing the elves out of the mountain, even cutting the young elf kings hand off in the process. Becoming the first and only warrior queen of the dwarves. 2,958 - Morlea weds the bronze prince Cargi, reestablishing the Iron King dynasty. 2,143 - The Sons of Stone sneak into the Elven homeland destroying their sacred Elseri tree. Giving the elves the biggest insult. Frilor the commanding general of the company pisses on the tree's ashes to add salt to the wound. Frilor and the Son's of Stone are killed but are renown as hero's among their kin. 1,694 - Gold King Dargrin sieges the port Elf city Asafrenli (Heaven's Eye). Destroying the city but is surrounded after their victory and beheaded 800 - Masabral is reborn in the black lands of the west 000 - Reports of another host from the west is marshaling again. Torlar raises the Sons of Stone to march to the Black Fortress. The Elven kings send help despite the hatred between the races. The Black cloaks also come to the fortress to help keep the dwarves and elves from killing each other. [/hider] [hider=Races] [b]Humans:[/b] Humans are a foreign people to the realm coming from across the eastern sea in little more than enlarged canoes in the unrecorded age. At times they're more susceptible to greed, more so than dwarves that lead the prolonged Greed Wars. But also capable of great acts of kindness, compassion and yet acts of pride can consume them. On neutral terms with dwarves and elves, keeping them from ripping each other to pieces. Masters of none but can be called and counted upon for anything. Typical life span ranges fro about 65 - 90 [b]Dwarves:[/b] Are as stubborn as they are strong, master craftsman of gems and metals. Ruled by their four kings of Iron, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Iron kings are typically seen as the warriors of their kin because of the vast amounts of iron and materials for war they can produce. Gold kings are what they sound, having enormously huge vaults overfilled with gold and other luxuries from the mountains. It's said you can swim in the gold coin like the sea. Silver kings while they have an abundance silver they are often the diplomats and politics. Politics usually consist of thrown ale mugs and brawls but out of all the kings they have the most patience of the four. Bronze kings aren't known for their bronze but rather their heritage. They keep they archives and histories of their people and is where the Sons of Stone have an unofficial archives to track dwarvern lineages. Stone kings were the most prestiegious of the kings, tracing their history back Rogrim himself. If one can prove this ancestry to all four of the kings, they'd be proclaimed as the new stone king and leader of all their kin. Female dwarves are rarely seen outside the mountain so it is said that they have beards too which isn't the case. In truth they look like human female but on a shrunken basis but carry more muscle tone. While female dwarves can serve in certain offices and in the military it is often because of their scorn that the male counterparts are scared of. Dwarfs don't carry surnames but are given a last name based on the deeds of their life or physical appearances. To distinguish family members rings or trinkets are made with the seal of their family. Age spans range from 250 - 300 years of age. [b]Elves:[/b] It's hard to race which race is older between dwarf and elf but there is no sure way with each claiming the more prestigious position. Elves create and embody what beauty should be, from their arts to ships. The most elegant of the races. Living primarily off the lands but they do barter with humans for gems and precious metals. Getting it threw them rather than the dwarfs. The only know race to be able to practice magic, the process of doing so is tedious and very dangerous. Causing insanity if it doesn't kill them first. Their skill with the bow is unparalleled and their armies swift. Hitting with speed and accuracy but suffer from a heavy infantry to stand in prolonged engagements. The one race where women are often seen with higher and equal rights than human or dwarves. From royalty to the army believing that grace isn't just for one gender so the share the aspects of life together. Typical age spans of elves typically range form 2000 - 3000 years of age [b]Orc:[/b] Much like goblins are grown but clans of orcs have been know to breed some how or another. Yielding strong and cleaver chieftains. As a whole orcs tend to boss around a bully the goblins and trolls. Most are around the height and strength range from dwarf to human/elf. The binding glue of Masabral's army as they are the ones that makes his wishes reality. Often killing the lesser goblins to feed their own belly's. [b]Goblins:[/b]There are two different types of goblin species. The first being the small green and brownish rats that scuttle about in massive swarms to overwhelm their enemy, small eyes that give them unparalleled sight at a distance to track any potential pink skin meal. They aren't bred however, but grown in vast farms of marsh and muck. Often giving them the pigmentation of their skin. And are often regarded as coward alone but in mass they show massive bravery. The second type of goblins are said to be a new species created by Masabral's sorcery interbred with trolls to create a taller and stronger variant of the species. Black in skin resembling more of a diseased man. Pain doesn't seem to affect them for some reason. Craving only meat. Before battle they drink a fusion of blood and grog sending them into a red driven rage [b]Trolls:[/b] Trolls while they're tall large hulking behemoths, have the intelligence of a child. Their strength however is not to be trifled at as some accounts say that they can rip entire trees from the earth. Usually having to be cohereced or rounded up to serve Masabral's cause. Used as shock troops or for their strength move and push siege equipment. The chieftains have showed sparks of a higher thought process but it is only of roughly a ten year old child. Quick to anger which is used to the advantage at times since when trolls are riled they lash out at who or what ever is nearby. [/hider] [hider=Rulers of the Realm] [u][i][b]Dwarves[/b][/i][/u] [b]Iron King:[/b] Renafr Firebeard [b]Gold King:[/b] Hatmus Greasebeard [b]Silver King:[/b] Borogar Copperteeth [b]Bronze King:[/b]Botar Goblincrusher [b]Stone King:[/b] Dead line. Possible candidates. [u][i][b]Elves[/b][/i][/u] [b]Silvan King:[/b]Inchel Elre [b]High Queen:[/b]Vestele Sharia [b]Coastal Ruler:[/b]Osone Elyni [b][i][u]Men[/u][/i][/b] King Oslan Formane Lord Craigar 'Dwarf son' Algart (Was a foster child of the Silver king Borogar) Lord Magon Crax Lady Elveria Xotlin (Leader of the Black Cloaks) [/hider] [hider=Sons of Stone insight and Beard metals] The exact origins of the Sons of Stone isn't known but regardless their well known for the being the top warriors in the dwarvern race. They come from all walks of life from princes to the lowest of classes. The ruling class of kings and their offspring are entirely optional. But one from the royal elite cannot join the Sons of Stone unless they have at least two children to continue their line. Recruited at the age of twenty before they dive too deep into their occupation are brought to a five to ten year training camp, every ten years after wards a training camp of three months to knock of any peace time rust. Elders of the order are responsible for maintaining the secrecy of their members and financial needs. No Son of Stone is left coinless, if the said member goes broke he and his family are relocated and given a penchant to start over again. When they're mobilized for war a commanding officer of royal blood leads the legion of warriors. With four captains leading a quarter of the men each. They're chosen by a vote but are mainly chosen by either skill in battle or religious priests of Rogrim. Beard metals indicate the service anyone dwarf has completed in life. Or hair metals for any female of the kin. Steel tubes on the side of the beard indicate a warrior who's dedicated his life to the army service to the army seeing war and surviving. Veterans of skill and prowess. Steel rings are braided in for trained soldiers without seeing war. Silver rings represent a troll kill, silver tubes is a troll hunter specialized in killing the large monstrosities. Bronze tubes represent ancient heritage, signaling that someone in their line has completed great deeds. Bronze ring indicate royal blood. Gold tubes have changed in since elf wars. Gold tubes indicate they've killed elves in ambush, while rings indicate the same as they always have. Showing they have wealth. Mithril braids are the epitomy of respect, it is a Son of Stone member that has fought and survived what should've been their death. No current dwarf has these braids. [/hider] [hider=Black Cloak Rangers] Initially formed after the Tusran Twins Vertox and Vaera left into the woods disgusted by their father since he was forcing them to marry. Yes they loved each other but to commit incest was too far. Leaving their father without an heir letting the dynasty die out or so it is thought. Both of them have had children still but decided not to lead in royalty preferring the solace of the wood. Woodsman and women skilled in living off the land. Dealing in affairs between dwarfs and elves the official peace keepers between the races. Armed with steel blades from the dwarves and elven bows. The current leader of these rangers is Elveria Xotlin who's ancestor was Vertox Tusran himself.[/hider] I would like to see an Elven Captain/General, Black Cloak Ranger Captain a couple of Son of Stone Captain and few knights wouldn't hurt.