SpirosBlaak: History and Setting

Setting Summary

The story of the settled lands of the Archduchy of SpirosBlaak begins in the untamed vastness of the wilderness, where all such nations take their first steps. Yet this is no simple story of exploration and colonization. It is instead one where all life itself nearly met certain doom and yet managed to survive, where gods toppled from the heavens to wage their wars in the mortal world, where prejudice, bigotry, and intolerance form the foundation of the modern era. This is SpirosBlaak.

Descending upon the mortal world was an event called Gods’ Fall, also known as the Great Madness. Heaven expelled its own. The stewards of Heaven, cast down from their exalted thrones, brought ruin to the mortal world. Confined to mortal form, most hoped to rule the realm of their exile, thus bringing brutal war upon the others. To aid their efforts, they bred with the mortals, spawning powerful heroes and terrible villains – allies and weapons with which to fight their battles.

Such godly contests reshaped the lands, political boundaries and the people themselves. The gods eventually turned their bloody efforts on the savage region known as the Wildlands, the land that became the Archduchy of SpirosBlaak. The Wildlands were a vast and untamed stretch of land, formerly inhabited by a feral race of human-like shapeshifters - lycanthropes known as the kav. Virtually untouched for centuries, the Wildlands became a bloody killing ground after wave following wave of refugees spilled into this territory following the collapse of the ancient empires.

Although the conflict between the gods offered mankind and many of the other prosperous races - such as the elves, kav, and dwarves - a reason to take interest in the Wildlands, it was ultimately the god Spiros’ pursuit of the fractured deity, the Horde, that planted the foundations for the nation that would follow.

In these powerful struggles, alliances formed: Sallous Yar, the lord of the undead, allied with the Horde, while Spiros, god of justice, joined with Arkanocles the Maker. The wars spanned many years (and, in fact, continue to this day by proxy through each god’s followers) and saw the rise of such horrific minions as the Witch Lords and necrozen, while also precipitating the creation of the honorable lavayne race, a divine amalgamation formed from humans, elves, and dwarves.

Many of the region’s burgeoning cities weathered the storm of these conflicts, but others fell to sword and flame. So terrible were these wars, even the holy city of Vas was nearly destroyed, and SpirosBlaak itself assaulted. In the end, it took the retreat of Sallous Yar’s undead forces into the Swamp of Woe and the disappearance of mighty Spiros Himself to restore some sense of stability to the land.

But no tale of the Archduchy’s maturation would be complete without addressing the turmoil afflicting the area’s more numerous natives: the kav. Humanity’s struggle against the Wildlands’ lycanthropes came close to consuming both the naturally born and cursed kav populations on many occasions. To this day, many citizens of the Archduchy still seek kav genocide, while the kav likewise pursue extermination against the human invaders who stole their lands.

And yet, despite all this conflict — the innumerable deaths, double-dealings, and coups, both political and military — the various duchies of the Wildlands eventually joined in alliance to form the Archduchy of SpirosBlaak. Heralded as a time of enlightenment and renewal, the age of the Archduchy may actually be the final age of downfall and destruction.

Only time, and perhaps a bit of mortal and divine intervention, will tell.

Earlier than 6,000 BF (Before Founding), the Merithian Civilization

There is much evidence all across Dracos of a lost empire capable of blending magic with incomprehensible technology. From recent excavations, there are signs that several Merithian cities once stood in the Wildlands. 4,300 BF, The rise of the Rilgoth Empire The Rilgothians, believed to be the descendants of former slaves of the Merithian civilization, form their own mighty nation. Utilizing the surviving scraps of their previous masters’ arcane and technological abilities, the Rilgoth Empire becomes one of enlightenment, civility, and peace.

2,000-1,500 BF, The fall of The Rilgoth Empire

The Rilgoth Empire succumbs to a number of natural and man-made disasters, feuding, and wars, causing it to splinter and fall into barbarism.
Survivors flee throughout the ruins of the nation, and great atrocities, never before witness, occur throughout the land.
Some Rilgothians flee south to join with the nomads of the Coast of Songs. Many don’t survive.
~1,900: The first of the degenerated clans of Rilgothian barbarians raid neighboring kingdoms.

922 BF, End of the Age of Gods

The Great Madness occurs.
The gods arrive in physical form throughout Dracos.

922-816 BF, Exodus of the Gods

The gods call upon their favored followers and seek new lands to reign.
888-877: Fearing Spiros, the Horde flees to the Wildlands through a roundabout course.
877-874: The Horde forms the lycanthropes of the Wildlands into an army.
876: Spiros learns of the Splintered God’s location, and he leads an army of elves and humans to hunt down his ancient enemy.
875: Sallous Yar joins forces with the Horde.
829: Spiros and his army are ambushed upon entering the Wildlands; they flee to Mundaes. Spiros and Arkanocles create the lavayne.
828: The army of elves, humans, dwarves and lavayne break the siege of Mundaes. The Horde and Sallous Yar flee.
826-817: Construction begins on the Path of Faith and the towns of SpirosBlaak and Hiltaenos.
822: Sentinels of the Homeguard are formed.

815-703 BF, Colonization

815: Most elves break faith with Spiros and leave the Wildlands
814: First indications that the gods may be mating with mortals
813: Humans begin to settle the Wildlands
810: Citadel Kannis founded
804: Fort Pleardys and the village of Navodys founded. First raid upon SpirosBlaak by the Midwyn pirates.
803: Dre? founded
801: Meleatan and Askalan founded
789: The Path of Faith is completed. Vas founded.
784: With the guidance of mentors, the orders of the Motith Farr and Gavrinn Farr are founded at Pleardys
768: SpirosBlaak is sacked and partially razed by pirates
752: The malicious armageddon dragon, Drybadyous, appears in the hills to the far west of Vas and begins raiding shipping, costing millions in gold each year
749: An unprecedented force of magi from Monvas quest to destroy Drybadyous and never return
746-721: The rulers of Kannis and Hiltaenos war over logging rights in what came to be known as the Campaign of Splinters
716: The Nadyass, a family of powerful and honest shipbuilders and merchants, acquire the title of Duke of SpirosBlaak

703-514 BF, The Clan Wars

703: The first Clan War erupts when a coordinated kav army attacks Vas.
686: SpirosBlaak founds the first kav legion.
538: The kav warlord Slayfang leads dozens of kavraen clans in a war against man. Sections of SpirosBlaak are razed in the Welkfest raids.
538-514: Human pogroms of vengeance nearly eradicate the Wildlands’ kav.
537: Drybadyous terrorizes Vas before fleeing with a quantity of treasure. Neither the loot nor the dragon is ever seen again, and his lair remains undiscovered.
535-519: Butcher’s fever spreads through most settlements, killing kav and humans alike by the thousands. Paranoia mounts and dependence upon the clergy, especially of Spiros, increasing as a result of the land’s trials.

514-506 BF, Invasion of the Witch Lords

511: Witch Lord Sasha Drakonik takes Monvas.
510: Monvas’ refugees purchase the plot where the Grand Library of Zoetha shall later be built. Sallous Yar attacks Mundaes. Witch Lord Grimaxe besieges SpirosBlaak.
510-508: Witch Lord Drakonik unites many goblin tribes and teaches them technology. Monvas is reborn.
508: Drakonik besieges Vas
507: Sallous Yar destroys Mundaes and the city’s surviving dwarves flee south. The lavayne seal Fire Eye Mountain. Arkanocles disappears. The battle for Vas ends, and Drakonik is slain. The Pontiff of Spiros assumes control of Vas, and he declares arcane magic illegal.
506: Spiros breaks the siege of SpirosBlaak. Sallous Yar retreats into the Swamp of Woe. The body of Spiros is taken away to an unknown fate.

505-340 BF, Era of Blood

505: Kavraen raids kill hundreds of humans, increasing levies to most ducal legions. Construction begins on the Grand Library of Zoetha.
503: Founding of Nolmedron. The Sentinels gain the Church of Spiros’ patronage.
500: Shivanos appears with an army, and he kills those refusing to side with him.
499: The Treaty of Silver Swords is signed. Forgemaster Drynne begins his greatest works.
494: The Sacred Kith of Witchfinders is established.
491: Taervas founded. Goblins destroy the fortress at Pleardys.
482: Forgemaster Drynne finishes cratting the Blades of Righteousness. The Axe of Defiant Thunder is discovered. Tellian the Tormentor crowns himself the sovereign ruler of the Wildlands.
418: The Battle of Whispering Crevice. Kav forces fall before the guns of a surprising alliance between the Witch Hill goblins and the dwarves of Nolmedron.
341: Halicsvol is abandoned. Kirvos falls to Tellian’s forces. The Pontiff of Spiros declares a crusade to liberate the city.
339: SpirosBlaak’s duke signs an alliance with the iguanalon of the Swamp of Woe, trading intelligence on undead activities for steel weapons.
332: Massive silver deposits found near Hiltaenos.
330: The Pontiff of Spiros excommunicates the duke of SpirosBlaak.
329: Shivanos attacks Vas and Askalan.
328: The crusade against Kirvos ends when the holy warriors rush back to save their homes.
319: Leodus of Hiltaenos is born.
305: The Grand Library of Zoetha is completed.
300: Shivanos attacks Vas but is once more turned away by an alliance lead by Leodus of Hiltaenos. Askalan is sacked. Taervas and Nonum are destroyed. Kannis suffers terrible losses.
399: Shittblight strikes the Wildlands.
397: First appearance of the Dark Riders of Nonum.
395: Shivanos uncovers the Behemoth.
394: SpirosBlaak falls to Shivanos but is soon retaken.
382: The Sentinels engage the Rilgoth barbarians in a series of border wars. The northmen remain in their own lands for many years following their defeat.
376: Occupation of Monvas is undertaken by Nolmedron and Hiltaenos.
364: The shittblight plague effectively disappears, manifesting only intermittently hereatter.
341: SpirosBlaak disperses its kav legions.

340-0 BF, The Calm of Whispers

329: The Misska family comes to power in Kirvos.
328: The school of arms in Taervas is opened.
326: Lord Misska, a kavraen werewolf, signs a non-aggression pact with SpirosBlaak.
260: SpirosBlaak and Meleatan form a shipping alliance.
214: Shittblight strikes Nonum, nearly wiping out the village.
207: A fleet of at least 30 lavayne skyships is seen flying towards Rilgoth.
205: Swarms of Rilgothian refugees flee their lands, seeking sanctuary in the south. All refuse to speak of what drove them from their homes.
204: Seven lavayne skyships, each battered and scorched, are spotted flying south from Rilgothian territory towards Fire Eye Mountain.
202: Voesti are uncharacteristically spotted in great schools near the coast, apparently afraid to travel the deeper waters.
199-191: Unexplained storms plague the Wildlands’ coasts, sinking many vessels.
195: A flight of armageddon dragons flies in from the eastern sea, past SpirosBlaak, and vanishes west of Sycleese’s Tears.
189: The voesti inexplicably return to the deep sea.
156: An elven spy is captured in SpirosBlaak and is believed to be an agent of the great elven kingdom, Verthage, to the west. Prejudices towards elves increase, and rumors of an elven invasion abound.
155: The first dwarven zeppelin makes its maiden flight.
146-144: Nolmedron drives back a drow incursion from the nearby foothills.
122: Witchfinders uncover a plot by the Saviors of the Twisted Fang to kill the Pontiff. Prejudices against all non-humans increase as a result.
105: Midwyn vessels from Freeport break into SpirosBlaak’s harbor and offload Rilgothian warriors. Much damage is caused to the city before the barbarians are defeated and the raiders’ ships sunk or chased away.
99: Creatures of darkness swarm Pleardys and Hiltaenos before being forced back to the Demon Bole.
43: War nearly erupts between Vas and Kirvos when priests of Spiros are uncovered in Duke Misska’s castle.
5: The rulers of the Wildlands meet in Askalan to discuss a unification of their holdings.
1: All attending nations save Kirvos ratify The Concord of Founding.

Year 0: The Founding of the Archduchy of SpirosBlaak

The Archduchy of SpirosBlaak is formed. Duke Nadyass is named as the first Archduke.

01-Present AF (Atter Founding), The Age of Prophecy

2: The comet, Logothos’ Breath, appears, heralding the first of many portents.
04-16: Voesti sightings near Meleatan
16-32: Faedian hunting parties continuously stir up the Roaming Plains by raiding kav territories.
18: The coin mint of Dre? becomes operational.
35: The Fristian Grasslands are flooded.
122: Arizekones makes his “Fitth Prophecy” and completes his famed book of predictions.
123: Arizekones dies.
135: Morkis the Mad preaches his visions.
146-150: The elven empire of Verthage invades the Archduchy.
188: Archduke Nadyass’ massacre. Lord Baedabin becomes duke of SpirosBlaak.
289: Karditious the Philologist appears in Askalan.
300: Elves visit Karditious, the chairman of the Council of Enlightenment, in Askalan.

307-311: Elves invade Witch Hill.
323-326: The Motith Farr and Gavrinn Farr suffer visions of the end of the world.
362-363: The entire kavbroed Clan Moonheart is struck by madness. The clan hunts and feeds upon each other until not a single member remains.
400: Elves visit Karditious in Askalan again.
404: Lord Baedabin, the Archduke’s son, is slain while adventuring on Laervas Isle.
409: Elven ships are spotted at Laervas Isle.
430: A plot by Jestale’s priests to release a plague in Dre? is foiled.
451: The Halo of Lunis appears.
452: Lady Ailea Baedabin becomes Archduchess.
454: The Archduchess’ intervention prevents a labor war in Dre?.
455: The Archduchess prevents a sahuagin invasion of Meleatan.
456: Savior of the Twisted Fang assassins attempt to slay the Archduchesses. The Archduchess claims victory at the Battle of Snake’s Copse.
457: A flight of armageddon dragons arrives in Askalan to speak to Karditious before retreating over the sea. Armageddon giants are spotted in great numbers in the Crypt Hills.
461: Present day.