History of Erehwon
The origins of Erewhon are long lost in the mists of time. It is said by certain elven sages that the first inhabitants of the planet were dinosaurs and that for countless eons they ruled the planet. This age ended when a cataclysm engulfed the world shutting out the light and plunging the planet into an ice age. The cause of this event remain unknown but it resulted in widespread change to the world and ended the rule of the dinosaurs. For several thousand years the polar ice caps advanced covering most of the lands in ice and snow. Then slowly the climate began to warm once more and the ice retreated. It was at this time that the sentient beings that we commonly refer to as gods first took interest in the world and they began populate the planet with their followers.
First Age: Age of Legends
At the beginning of the First Age the First Born, elves and dwarves, were created by the gods Moradin and Corellon Larethian respectively. The elves rejoiced in the wonders of the surface world, especially in the forests and woodlands, claiming these territories as their home. The dwarves chose instead to live in caverns beneath the mountain peaks. Here they laboured building cities and towns out of bare granite. For many thousands of years the land was at peace and both the elven and dwarven civilisations flourished. Later the gnomes were created, claiming the forested hills and glens as their own.
Orcus, the Demonlord, grew envious of the elves and dwarves for he coveted the world and wanted it for his own. In secret places under the mountains he laboured and created his own race, an evil mockery of the first born- orcs and goblins. Orcus was still not satisfied for he wanted to rule the world alone and sought to dominate it. He began to convert peoples in the first born to his cause, whispering sweet sounding promises and lies to those who would listen. He promised power and everlasting life to those that worshipped him. Many priests ignored the softly whispered promises of the Lord of Deceit as he would eventually be called, but others listened and obeyed and joined him.
Orcus's followers soon spread like a cancer through the lands attracting converts from the bored and the despotic and quickly his hedonistic cult spread. Eventually the authorities alarmed by the growth of these so called pleasure cults tried to crack down on them but it was already too late, the cults had become too strong and organised and the kingdoms were plunged into civil war. Thus began the Kinslayer Wars when elf turned upon elf, dwarf upon dwarf, brother fought brother and father slew son.
For centuries the wars raged and erehwon was ravaged. Vast tracts of land were destroyed and left barren wastes. Surely but slowly the forces of Good gained the upper hand and forced the forces of the Demonlord back into the wild lands devastated in the earlier battles. Here Orcus collected together a huge horde, greater than any ever gathered, and marched on the city of Tun’Qweth, the jewel in the elven crown. The elves sent messages to the four corners of erehwon seeking assistance while the defenders of Tun'Qweth held out. Many kingdoms answered the summons and soon a huge host of creatures, almost equal in size to that of Orcus's own demon and humnaoid filled armies, marched to relieve beleagured Tun'Qweth.
On the plains before the city the two the two armies met and it is said that the very ground shook as the armies clashed. The battle was a truly epic struggle in which the armies of light aided by numerous otherworldly creatures such as ki-rin, lamasu, titans and the metallic dragons fought against the hordes of orcs, goblins, evil elves, demons and evil dragons. For weeks the battle raged with neither side able to gain an upper hand but eventually Orcus himself was defeated in single combat at the hands of the elven hero Elquin Goldencrown who used the Rod of Law against the Demonlord. The staff pierced Orcus's side and the Lord of Evil was banished from the land, alhough the artefact was sundered in the process and Elquin slain. The survivors of the Demonlords once proud host fled in disarray and were cut down. The slaughter was immense. The few surviving dwarves, and elves allied to Orcus abandoned the surface world forever and sought safety in the trackless tunnels that exist deep beneath the surface or Erehwon, thus were the drow and duergar said to have been created.
Second Age: Age of Peace
Following the defeat of Orcus peace once more returned to Erehwon and the elven and dwarven peoples began to slowly but surely rebuild their civilisations. Eventually new empires rose out of the ashes of the old and the two demi-human races once again prospered. This time is seen as being the golden age of both cultures, an age when marvels of magic and science combined to create wonders the likes the world would never again see. The greatest artisans and craftsmen of both races created numerous magic items and artefacts during this period and the skills of these craftsmen surpassed any known today.
For almost ten thousand years peace reigned in Erehwon but peace like all things must one day come to an end. Although long defeated the forces of evil were not totally destroyed and even as the dwarven and elven kingdoms prospered so did the forces of evil rebuild their shattered strength. In tunnels, caverns and mines deep beneath the earth the drow, duergar and kuo-toa plotted, planned and grew in power. Humanoids too had recovered from their staggering losses and they crept out of their wilderness holds to attack outlying settlements, growing both stronger and bolder as the years passed.
Eventually the dwarves and elves alerted to the once more rising of evil sought to unite to face the new threat. However the traditional unity of dwarves and elves had long since come to an end and relations between the two races were strained. Matters came to a head when Ilque Goldencrown ruler of Vel-Nethwe, the greatest of the elven empires ordered the dwarven King, Thurbardin, to aid him in a campaign to rid the north of the humanoid raiders. The dwarf incensed by being “ordered” by an elf to come to his assistance refused and thus the last great alliance of the dwarves and elves was sundered. The age ended when Ilque Goldencrown, ruler of Vel-Nehtwe was assassinated and his realm plunged into civil war.
Third Age: Age of Tears
The Age of Tears began with the death of Il-que Goldencrown, the last of the elven emperors. Following his death the Empire of Vel-Nethwe was racked by civil war as one after another of his general’s marched on the capital to claim the imperial throne. Many elven provinces were destroyed in the ensuring bloodbath and eventually others succeeded in ceding from the empire. It is said that somehow Orcus once again had a hand in these events for the discord and disharmony in the realm of the elves would surely have bought great pleasure to the Lord of Deceit.
The elven kingdom splintered and fragmented into three seperate kingdoms and once the blood letting had ceased the greatest elven empire lay in tatters and was too weak to defend itself against a vast horde of humanoids and demons that chose that time to howl out of the northern wastes. The empire was overrun and its once majestic cities destroyed. Elven refugees fled west in front of the hordes and sought safety in the previously uninhabited lands west of the Kharnik Mountains. The dwarves of the Iron Kingdom opened their borders to the elves bidding them safe passage then closed the mountain passes ehind them, bringing down ton upon ton of rock onto the heads of the demon led armies which were following hot in the heels of the refugees. Thus was the onslaught halted but only after the loss of the greatest elven empire. The elven bards still sing of the loss of Vel-Nethwe and the elves dream of one day reclaiming their homeland, now called the Shadowlands because of the pall of evil that hangs over it, from the followers of Orcus.
The Arrival of Man
Later during the Age of Tears that humans first migrated to Erewhon from the tractless plains of the East. First to arrive were the Skelts, peaceful hunters and gathers who settled in the fertile southern lands and slowly migrated northwards. They were later followed, and in many areas overrun by the Druthni peoples, a loose confederation of tribes that like the Skelts before them were migrating from the vast eastern plains. One by one the Skeltish kingdoms fell to, and were assimilated by, the invaders until it was thought that none could stand before the Druthni onslaught. It was then that a hero rose from the island of Shamra, King Uther the Second of Gwyneth, one of several petty kingdoms on that fair isle. King Uther united the previously independent Skeltish kingdoms of Sharmra to his banner and became the first High King of Sharmra. Uther led his followers time and again against the Druthni and defeated them in several pitched battles on the mainland. It was due to his skill that the island of Gwyneth never fell to the invaders even though the Skelts were often vastly outnumbered.
It was during this dark age for the Skelts that a second threat appeared, the Drakkar. The Drakkar are a barbaric race of human warriors who inhabit the peninsula of the same name. They are a fierce, warlike people whose greatest love appears to be looting and burning the coastal settlements of both the Skelts and Druthni peoples. They too sought to conquer Gwyneth but by skilful use of arms Uther was able to defeat them utterly in the Battle of Dunheath and put an end to their plans of conquering the Skeltish homeland.
The warlike and fracticious Druthni tribes were during this time united under the banner of the warrior king, Klovic. Through feat of arms Klovic succeeded in uniting the tribes of the Druthni, tribes that wouldn't agree to his kingship were wiped out to a man and the others soon saw the light. In but a few brief years he'd united the tribes and created the Kingdom of the Druths.
Eventually the Druthni of Klovic and the Skelts of Uther united in the face of a common threat- a vast orcish horde which threatened the very existence of both peoples howled out of the Shadowlands. The Druthni and Skelts put aside their petty differences to fight the common enemy and with the aid of dwarves and elves they managed to defeat the horde and retain their independence. Much revelry followed this victory and the Great Peace was declared.
For the past three centuries since the signing of the Great Peace the Western Lands have remained relatively trouble free. Following the death of Klovic his realm was split between his two sons, becoming Druthnia and Westmark, for it was an ancient Druthni tradition that ones possessions were divided between the surviving heirs. Over the years the Druthnians have slowly expanded their borders and for a time subjegated the Vors that had settled inb the lands to the east of Druthnia, claiming these lands as their own Ostmark. However, the Vors eventually overthrew their overlords and reclaimed their homeland, whiuch they named Vorland.
This page was last updated on
Wednesday, 10 October 2001