[center][h1]FACTIONS IN ARCADIA[/h1][/center]

[h3]Concilium Kingdoms[/h3]

[hider=Archanea]
[quote=Creed Of The Awakened][i]"Hear us, Naga! We pledge our lives to honor the sacred covenant! In the name of the exalted blood, we ask for the Divine Dragon's power! Baptize us in your holy fire, that we may become your children!"[/i][/quote]

According to Archanean myths and legends, thousands of years ago prior to the founding of the singular kingdom, Archanea was originally ruled by dragons, led by Naga and the Divine Dragon Tribe. However, after millennia, a great curse befell the dragons, forcing them to assume Manakete form, while those who didn't degenerated into wild beasts. The majority of the Earth Dragons refused to become Manaketes, eventually turning wild and threatening to destroy mankind. Naga led her tribe to stop the Earth Dragons, sealing them all within The Dragon's Table, except for Medeus who had become a Manakete without his tribe's knowledge. Afterwards, Naga created the Shield of Seals to stop the Earth Dragons from returning and died after giving birth to Tiki. 

Later, the Shield of Seals was stolen by a thief, who removed the orbs and sold them. Using the money to raise an army and using the stolen weapons Gradivus, Parthia, and Mercurius, he attempted to found the kingdom of Archanea with man above Manaketes. However, his version of Archanea had Ortusian territory within and thus he faced the Moon people to take it. He was slain by the Ortusians who proceeded to return the three legendary weapons to the people of Archanea. This distribution would then lead to the formation of the Archanean Triumvirate and the end of Manakete persecution.

Hundreds of years later, the War Of Gaia broke out and all of Arcadia was in peril. In response, Princess Artemis of Aurelis chose a commoner named Anri to wield the Falchion and put an end to the rampaging goddess. The war ended the rule of the Triumvirate by taking the leaders' lives, including that of Princess Artemis', but Gaia was eventually banished and the hero Anri was crowned King of Archanea.

Whether the myths are true or not, today Archanea is ruled by King Hardin and his rule is a hard one. Not only is the Concilium breaking but Archanea itself faces trouble within. While he has many allies both known and unknown who are willing to fight to keep Archanea standing and standing tall, what good are they if their king is the one that would fall?
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[hider=Tellius]
[quote=King Commodus IV][i]"We Tellians are the only true people of Arcadia. We saved the Concilium, we drove out the undead, we made the Council of Royals! My family deserves respect; respect, and obedience! We know what is best for the Concilium: new lands, living space, territories, slaves! I know what must be done. The people of Askr look down their perfumed noses at all of the Concilium, and they hate us. I'm going to give them a reason for hate...when I've crushed them! Concilium steel, that's the answer; Concilium steel in a Tellian fist. And the other Concilium kingdoms...the Elibeans; trash! They have no respect for proper Concilium ways, or for us! The Valentians prostitute themselves. As if the people matter! Bah! 

We Tellians must lead the Concilium."[/i][/quote]

Long ago, a deity was all alone in a world growing up around her. She was one of a kind and no one else could share the same sentience as her. But as though to dissuade her sorrows, the creatures around this lonely goddess began to evolve, becoming what would be known as the Zunanma. The Zunanma happily accompanied their goddess, whose hair was the color of the rising dawn, dubbing her Ashunera, the Dawn Goddess and Defender Of Tellius as she expelled Gaia's undead from the land all by herself.

However, their attention soon strayed from Ashunera. They began to evolve separately and developed desires. These desires drove them to fight against one another. They fought for power and honor. Lives were lost, which resulted in Ashunera despairing. She hoped to quell the bloodbath by giving the deviated Zunanma different names; from that point on, there were beorc (humans) and laguz (taguel).

The creatures only fought more, however. Now parted by different names, they were not one people, but many. The beorc and laguz warred with each other, deaf to the desperate wishes of their creator. Aggrieved by this, Ashunera erupted in a great beam of light that is said could be seen from the farthest reaches of Arcadia. It was unknown if she exploded into nothing or ascended into the heavens but the mighty display of power and grief made the beorc and laguz realize their mistakes and make amends.

At least that was what Tellian legends tell. Nevertheless, Tellius is still inhabited by humans and laguz that more or less get along with each other especially if foreign powers decide to intrude. Today, they are led by King Commodus IV and he has a knack for the past of Tellius, renewing and modernizing the old Tellian units like Legionnaires and Praetorians. But why is he readying his military?
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[hider=Magvel]
[quote=Council Leader Talrik][i]"Before my ancestors were born, this was our land. These are our good places; our gods live here, in the trees and the rivers. They watch over us. We are happy: we live, we love, we have families, homes, a good life. But sometimes we must fight! The Ortusians disturbed the peace; they summoned Gaia who burned the forests and took what is ours, family, children, land! And the Moonies talk of how they will 'repay and repair' for their mistakes. They put us to sleep with golden promises: when we wake, all they did was enrich themselves! They took our mercy to become powerful again. Gah! There can be no peace, no peace with Ortusians, men of smoke, and iron, and lies! 

There can be only war!"[/i][/quote]

During the War Of Gaia, the armies of the goddess split to wreak havoc across Arcadia but it was Gaia who personally lead the destruction of Magvel. The humans there were no match and the kingdom was in the brink of annihilation. In desperation, the Magvellians appealed to the heavens and it was granted through a blinding light. With the power to dispel evil, five glorious treasures known as the Sacred Stones were used by the five heroes to combat the hordes of undead and stop Gaia on her tracks.

After a gruesome war, Gaia was beaten back and eventually defeated. The five Stones were then used to create a form of barrier that would prevent evil deities from entering the mortal plane. Distributed to each province, which then would become Renais, Frelia, Jehanna, Rausten, and Grado. But even with the Stones warding off the great evils, non-undead monsters continue to plague Magvel but valiant efforts managed to thin them out. Their largest lairs even became a human settlement now known as Carcino.

Things started to change decades later, when Prince Lyon began his experiments with Grado's Sacred Stone, initially for the betterment of humanity. However, Lyon's father, Vigarde died despite the Prince's best efforts. Unable to cope with this, Lyon pushed his experiments further, which allowed the Demon King Fomortiis to possess him. And thus, Grado went to war with every other country on the continent.

Succeeding in destroying every Sacred Stone on Magvel was destroyed except for one, Eirika, Ephraim, and their companions assembled and eventually led the final assault on Darkling Woods, and slew the revived Demon King once again. Hopefully for good.

After peace had returned, the nobles of Magvel decided to turn each of their province into a small nation, each of which has representative in the Council Of Heroes. This council elects a High Councilor to represent Magvel in the Council Of Royals. But alas, even the High Councilor is only but human.
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[hider=Jugdral]
[quote=Sevarion the Speaker][i]Jugdral, hear me! For we are in crisis! In Archanea, Concilium impostors led by King Azure grow ever stronger! In the Moon Kingdom, the liar Queen Bethany marshalls and mobilizes her armies for battle! This is unacceptable! Give us a king from humble beginnings! Give us a leader our armies will follow!

Give us... King Yadrev the Unfettered![/i][/quote]

At a time when Archanea was still becoming a civilization, Jugdral already housed an advanced human population. Still, they were staunch allies against the goddess Gaia who unleashed Loptyr upon Jugdral as her emissary of death. For a long time, Loptyr held a violent, oppressive hold on the land until, sixteen years after the turning point that was the Miracle of Darna, Loptyr was slain by the dragon-blessed Twelve Crusaders and soon, Gaia was too.

A King Ruprecht led the Jugdralian people and rebuilt the country. Peace followed but Ruprecht was known to be an ambitious man and many people suspected that he had dreams of conquest. However, he died before any sort of truth could come out. There were suspicions that his descendants inherited his grand dreams but only time will tell of what the future holds for Jugdral.

Although, what are dreams of conquest if there is turmoil at home?
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[hider=Valentia]
[quote=Duke Otto, Beloved Son Of Valentia][i]"Gods...I hate Ortus. My ancestors hated them too, even before the undead they summoned put out their eyes. Did you think I'd be out here on the frontier without good reason? Yes, the Concilium needs a strong frontier. No, the Concilium doesn't need Moonie scum at her gates! So, that's why I'm here, the king of Valentia: to bring Concilium order to stinking Moonies. Revenge? That'd be good too. This war against Ortus won't last long, and when it's done, I've got plans. This is all about power, power in Arcadia. Going down that road means dealing with all my rivals: Varjo, Zenith, those stunted Dwarves, the other kingdoms of the Concilium too.

After all, the man who conquers Arcadia... rules the world. And one day, I will be that man.[/i][/quote]

Originally ruled by the sibling gods Mila and Duma, who famously battled and defeated Grima during the War Of Gaia, they came into violent dispute over their ideologies with Duma believing mankind should strive for power and Mila believing that mankind should be led towards peace and pleasure. This dispute eventually led to a pact that divided the continent between then. The lands of the north were to be ruled by Duma and the lands to the south would be ruled by Mila. Eventually two kingdoms rose from this division, Rigel in the north and Zofia in the south. However, the heavy involvement of the gods in the nations they came to rule led to a contrast between them; the people of Rigel became strong, yet forgot kindness in their might, and the people of Zofia grew corrupt and knew nothing of toil.

After centuries of this rule, Rigel launched an invasion by Emperor Rudolf in order to rid the world of the influence of both gods; in response, the heroes Alm and Celica led their respective armies to drive back Rigel and find the missing Mila, ultimately ending in the defeat of Duma at Alm's hands and the disappearance of both gods from the world.

Alm and Celica, as the surviving royals of both nations, eventually married and united Valentia into a single nation in with Alm as its first King and Celica as the first Queen with several members of both armies as part of the kingdom's Brotherhood of Knights or its overall structure. But their rule has just begun and they will soon come to learn what ruling really means.
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[hider=Elibe]
[quote=Queen Francesca Devaron][i]"My family, the House of Devaron, are beloved of the gods. A proud boast, but true all the same. In return we have served the Concilium, ruled well, led her armies to glory; it has cost us dearly, despite the love of the gods. Sometimes the hatred of men is stronger. Our dead lie in many graves, put there by Dwarven axes...and a few Zenith ones. Even some Concilium blades have taken Elibean lives; that, we do not forget, or forgive. So, now our time has come. The spirits of the dead cry out for blood. I will lead Elibe in this undertaking. The gods will grant us vengeance. When Zenith is obliterated, when the Dwarves are crushed, when the other Concilium kingdoms are gone, when the world is mine...then I will stand before the gods and be worthy of their love. 

And worthy to rule Arcadia!"[/i][/quote]

In the distant past, the dragon tribes shared the continent with humanity and lived in harmonious peace. Unfortunately, this peace was not slated to last. Gaia had come to ravage Elibe with her hordes of undead, selecting one Elibean to lead her dark army. The Great Necromancer, the Great Betrayer: Nagash.

The war, which is better known as The Scouring, broke out thereafter and lasted for generations. Doom drew nigh until man and dragon combined their might to forge the legendary weapons. The Legendary Weapons were infused with a special power to destroy nearly any kind of undead or elemental, so they had the power to easily wipe out swathes of Nagash's forces. Thus, the Eight Heroes used the weapons to successfully battle and slay Nagash in The Scouring.

After the war, the humans found that the weapons' power was too great to be used by mortals. Fearing that the weapons might be used against the living rather than the dead, the eight legendary weapons were hidden across Elibe when the heroes departed. Each one was hidden in the most difficult places to access, all with deadly traps guarding them. On top of that, Bramimond crafted a magic seal in a place in Bern known as the Shrine of Seals that would prevent the weapons from ever being found.

Much time has passed and the story above is believed to be a mere myth by many of the people in Elibe today. Including its royalty, King Harold and Queen Francesca. Although, if evidence of the weapons' existence is shown, they might consider changing their minds on the subject.
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[h3]Zenith Union[/h3]

[hider=Askr Kingdom]
[quote=King Gustav][i]"For centuries we have defended our lands from all who would conquer us. Even in our darkest hour, when our allies rose up and betrayed us, we fought with such determination and martial skill that they were vanquished. But before you do this, you must understand how to command your army. To conduct its many diverse parts into a symphony of destruction. To weave the potent sorceries of your battle mages with the rain of deadly shafts from our archers. To form an impregnable line of spears from which the armored might of your cavalry can leap to smash the foe. And if you learn all these things, then and only then, will you be a true prince... "[/i][/quote]

~Under Construction~
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[hider=Embla Empire]
[quote=Malekith the Witch-Lord][i]"We do not forgive, and we do not forget. We are the people of ice and darkness, sustained by our hate. We live for Princess Veronica, and to set the ancient wrongs aright. Through fire, blood and ruin."[/i][/quote]

~Under Construction~
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[h3]Varjo[/h3]
[hider=Main Varjo]
[quote=Egrimm Horstmann][i]"Woe, O world! The age of Arcadia is coming to an end. Time passes into oblivion, and the stars lapse in the sky. The dreadful breed of night is crawling out of darkness, to take possession of the world. Fools! Seek refuge in faith or madness, for there's no longer any other place to hide. The Reign of Varjo has begun!..."[/i][/quote]

Between the Concilium and the Zenith Peninsula lies a land shrouded in darkness and chaos, locked in a never-ending conflict. Here, all men or otherwise are free from all rules and laws, free to do anything they please. It is a place where few mortals have dared to venture, and even fewer have returned. The people that live in the single city that Varjo actually owns may be divided but they are all devout in their worship of the Varjan King and many in the civilized world journey to Varjo and sacrifice all they have for a taste of complete freedom or offer themselves to the King or because they have no other choice in life. Those that do survive this unholy pilgrimage and live to tell the tale are irreversibly altered. Clad in dark armor bearing the dread marks of ruinous favor and possessed of an unwavering resolve to carry out the will of the malevolent nation, these are the mighty warriors of Varjo.

Currently ruled by King Joshua Caldeyron and his sister Queen Leyanne Caldeyron. Their most notable Generals are the impossibly huge Draxa Blacksurge, the handsome but narcissistic Masahiro the Magnificent, the magical abomination Fate Weaver, the bloated and deformed Plague Father, the irredeemably insane Exiled One and the beautiful but deadly Eternal Dancer.

Varjo's armies are legion, made up of barbarous Varjan Warriors and Varjan Elites - particularly ruthless and bloody fighters gifted with thick suits of all-encompassing armour, accompanied by a mass of horrible monstrosities of unknown origin. These hordes can be raiders that cross the seas and coasts in raiding ships, large armies that raze entire cities or full-scale incursions where entire nations quake in fear, convinced the End Of Days are upon them… And quite possibly they are, for the time of their apocalyptic prophecy nighs: That Anicul, the Chosen One, will come and gather her countless servants and bring doom to all of Arcadia.
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[hider=The Circle Of Joshua]
[quote=Skrayn Thornthick][i]"Oh my brothers, what need be said? We are the chosen of our Master, the true Lord of Arcadia, whose seat remains always filled upon the Council of the Circle. Other seats may change hands, but his will always remain, and no-none other can lay claim to it. We speak his truths. We hear his thoughts. We know his purpose. We are the guides of our people, the spiritual compass that guides and leads them to their destinies as killer-masters of the world."[/i][/quote]

The Circle Of Joshua, sometimes known as the Fetid Circle or simply The Circle, is a malevolent and diabolical organization composed of the malicious and the delusional gathered and led by the Varjan King Joshua Caldeyron. The Circle's members, generally, are cruel, treacherous individuals that have since spread their loathsome corruption to the farthest corners of Arcadia. From deep within Varjo and the farthest reaches of the League, these vermin have built up their might and now their military power and terrible machines has the potential to smother the kingdoms of the Arcadia in a seething tide of violence and anarchy. It is believed by all of the Circle that the world is destined to be plunged in chaos and lawlessness, for that is the will of their beloved Joshua and his will is undeniably superior to everyone else of the world.

This unwavering belief stems from the promises made by their King. Joshua is the founder of the Circle after all, and the living symbol of all things the Circle members are or ever will be. Within the cruel hierarchy of the Circle Of Joshua, the wishes and demands of the Varjan King is issued and maintained by the iron-fisted rule of the magical abomination Fate Weaver, the bloated and deformed Plague Father and the cowardly Krik the Beheader.

The Circle as a whole is extremely divided, often far more divided than perhaps any other faction known in existence. Such disunion and ruthless lack of cooperation stems from the Circle members' insatiable need to survive, thrive and reign tyrannical over the other. To every member of the Circle, there is no such thing as pity, remorse, compassion, or cooperation. There is simply survival, survival in a turbulent society that only spares those that possess the brute strength, extreme cunning, and the vicious instinct to outmaneuver and kill the opposition, no matter the cost or the body count of either friend or foe. Though no matter how divided their race may be, they are nonetheless unified in their devotion of their founder... or in their fear of the Circle's generals.
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[hider=Leyanne's Blood Horde]
[quote=Leyanne Caldeyron][i]"We shall strike down our foe with sharp steel and cold hearts. The weak die so that the strong shall be spared. Then and only then will our enemies know the true meaning of fear."[/i][/quote]

Like a headsman’s blade, the Blood Horde sweep down upon their foes with terrifying violence. The ground shudders at their onset, for they come in numbers fit to flood the land. The harsh blare of bone warhorns and the savage chant of war cries roll before them, mingled with the reek of spilt blood. The Blood Horde charge on through clouds of arrows and blasts of magic, trampling their own fallen in their eagerness to kill. When they smash headlong into their foes they do so with a mighty, rending crash. Axes and swords and lances and maces rise and fall, blood gushes, and those who stand against the War Queen are slaughtered wholesale.

Throughout Arcadia, voices beyond count scream praise to Leyanne Caldeyron. Everywhere, regal knights and savage warriors daub themselves with the War Queen's blessing, fighting and killing in her name. However, though any warrior may offer up his or her life to Leyanne, only those who prove worthy are chosen by their Queen in return. These become part of the Blood Horde, the most powerful, belligerent and murderous of Varjo’s devotees, and they are a curse upon Arcadia greater than any other. Tribes, cities and fortresses have been toppled by these brutal reavers, and rivers of blood have been shed in Leyanne’s name.

Mighty beyond belief and foaming with rage, these warriors descend upon their enemies screaming and leave nothing alive. Such examples of warriors like these include the impossibly huge Draxa Blacksurge, the handsome but self-centered Masahiro the Magnificent, the insane Exiled One and the beautiful Eternal Dancer.
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[hider=Varjan Tribes]
[quote=Thorgar the Blooded][i]"Say what you will of us, call us heathens because we deny your weak gods. Call us savages because we strike at you, but know this -- it is we who are closest to the truth. We, most favored of fate, shall burn your lands, revel in your suffering, and destroy you. Despair! For all that remains for you is the taste of Varjan steel and the end of your world. Such is the will of Varjo."[/i][/quote]

Since Varjo is composed of only one large city and cares little for everything else in their domain, the Tribes formed in these neglected lands. Usually divided but they are united in their need to survive through raiding and banditry. Constant war is a way of life, both between the feuding tribes and in raids against the 'soft' outside nations who they view as a source of blood for their blades and plunder for their storehouses.

Some of them aspire to attract the favor of Varjo with acts of barbarism and savagery, in the hopes of being invited to the capital and becoming a part of the official Varjan army. The truly great ascend the ladder and could even become Varjan Exalted Ones. However, most just die violent deaths or become part of Joshua and his Circle's terrible experiments. 

When their leaders wax strong and the numbers grow numerous, a Tribe would march outside Varjo and invade another country, eager to bring loot and glory for the Tribe.
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[h3]Ortus[/h3]

[hider=Kingdom of the Moon]
Since its birth, the Moon Kingdom has stood with the rest of civilization against the encroaching forces of destruction. But their realm is in constant turmoil, beset on all sides by enemies ferocious and foul. Yet it endures, for the people of the Moon has a steely determination to not merely live, but thrive. The kingdom’s armies were once mighty, large regiments of disciplined troops led by valiant warrior-generals and supplemented by the arcane will of battle wizards, as well as the renowned Lot Order.

However, since it was they who summoned the dark goddess Gaia, the ultimate blame for the War Of Gaia went to them and they were forced by the League Of Arcadia to make reparations for the whole continent. While the Moon Kingdom has done everything they were asked to, they still face prejudice from most of the League Of Arcadia and it is doubtful that this hate will ever go away.

The War Of Gaia affected the Moon Kingdom the most, leveling almost everything in the nation. However, the people of the Moon are nothing if not persistent and in time, they have rebuilt their country into its former glory, albeit, a different kind of glory. The kingdom was no longer the magical powerhouse it once was rather, it is now a growing beacon of the more practical arts.

A new monarch has recently been crowned, but she is untested and a bit frail - and at a time when dark clouds gather in Arcadia once again. So begins the reign of Queen Vinderion and she has much to do: strengthen the Moon Kingdom, secure its borders and bring prosperity to its beleaguered citizens. But she will not do this alone, beside her are the faithful knights of the Lot Order as well as the Royal Guard, her personal troops and bodyguard.
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[h3]The Dwarves[/h3]

[hider=Dwarven Kingdoms]
[quote=Hengist Stonebelly][i]"Whilst a single Dwarf draws breath, we will fight the evils that assail us, and we will never, ever give up."[/i][/quote]

Rising high above the world in an endless series of jagged peaks stand the tall mountains of the Edge Of Arcadia. Beneath these snow-covered pinnacles, the Dwarves have dug into the bedrock of the world, carving out mines and halls into a kingdom which they call the Everlasting Realm. Although many of the Dwarven strongholds now lie in ruin due to the War Of Gaia and have become the lairs of evil creatures, the glories of their past are not forgotten by the Dwarf race.

The Dwarves are one of the most unified factions in Arcadia, betrayal being a heavy and mortal sin in their culture. At the helm of these sturdy people are Durin the Iron King (also the current High Lord of the Everlasting Realm), Rurik Bloodbeard the Crimson King, Griselia Bearclaw the Rune Queen and Ulthar Burlokkson the Engineer King.

Dwarves do not call upon magic in the same way as other races do. To them, magic is a tangible thing, something that can be worked into axes or cannonballs. It is with all these elements - stalwart hearts, exceptional armor and weaponry, and the unmatched machines of war - that the Everlasting Realm will weather any storm and keep the name true.
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[h3]Monsters[/h3]

[hider=Undead]
In the forsaken lands of Arcadia roam the undead battalions of the banished goddess. Upon fen and moor, creatures of darkness that have haunted the nightmares of Man for millennia break free from ancient cairns and age-worn mausoleums, shaking the ground beneath them and eclipsing the moon as they spread their tattered wings and take to the skies. In the eternal gloom of ancient tombs can be heard the scrape of bone on bone, wordless moans, and the clank of rusted armour. The unliving host advances, a tide of resurrected corpses, driven on by necromantic magic and the unshakeabable will of Gaia.

The presence of the living dead is a corruption upon the face of the world and as they expand their holdings, the very land they occupy is transformed. Their advance is heralded by encroaching mists no wind can displace, trees twisting and buckling as though in agony, and a gathering darkness of supernatural perpetuity. In battle, they are a fearsome force to behold. Legions of moldering soldiers wear down their enemies without fear or hesitation whilst mighty elementals crush all who dare stand in their way.

All tremble before the unliving for they are a blasphemy against nature and reason. Those that attempt to stem their relentless onslaught will soon learn that there are fates in this world that are worse than death. The goddess Gaia may be gone from the mortal plane but the bodies and essences of her lieutenants, Loptyr and Grima, are not as cleansed and thus could plague the world once more.
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[hider=Terrors]
Throughout the world, Terrors thrive upon the edges of civilization, raiding isolated farmsteads, villages, and other settlements. While they compete against the Undead for territory in the remote and forsaken places of Arcadia, they could still be found all throughout the continent.

For thousands of years the Terrors and their night-bred kin ruled the forests, preying upon the scattered bands of men as wolves upon sheep. Then man united into tribes, challenging the Terrors for dominance of the lands. Man continued to elevate from a collection of loosely organised tribesmen into small villages then into large cities then finally, the nations they are today.

But the Terrors persist still, hounding humans wherever they can. Some have even earned recognition such as the Brothers One-Eye: a Arch Mogall and a Cyclops named Orok and Olog respectively as well as the mysterious Silver Dragon. They lead giant warbands of Terrors capable of defeating professional armies.
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