(ii) The Twelve Kingdoms of Men

During the Second Age there were established twelve kingdoms of Men, spread across the three remaining continents of Erâth: Cathaï, Thaeìn and Aélûr. Of these, three were founded in Cathaï, four in Thaeìn and five in Aélûr. Each kingdom governed their own small territory of the world, though much of the world remained uninhabited except by the creatures of darkness.

It was the power of the Portèn that made it possible for men to regain the world, but Men soon forgot the influence of this race. The Portèn, for their part, were happy to leave the world of Men to itself, having restored what they could of Erâth, and retreated to long slumber, unnoticed and ignored by Men. This left the lands of Erâth open to the conquest of the Duithèn and the Namirèn, and the Sarâthen were too few to do much more than hold them at bay. This left Men to resist the powers of darkness alone, and it is for this reason that the lands of Aélûr, and in particular Cathaï, long the strongest refuge of the Portèn and life itself, were the first to fall to darkness. […]

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After the fall of the great civilizations of Men at the end of the Age of Light, much of Erâth was laid to waste. Entire continents were rendered uninhabitable, and the rest of the lands were overrun by darkness. Twisted creatures took form, encouraged by the rampant spread of the Duithèn. The once-great cities of Men, already in ruins, crumbled and decayed, their ashes scattered by the violent and poisonous winds. What was left of the race of Men was scattered, divided and lawless, fighting amongst themselves for survival.

The age that followed, some two three thousand years or so, is referred to as the Second Age of Erâth. It charts the recovery of Erâth from the destruction rained upon it by Men, the rebuilding of kingdoms, and the eventual corruption of Men by the Duithèn.

(i) The Waste

To accurately trace the history of the Second Age of Erâth, we must begin by looking at what was left of Erâth in the aftermath of the great wars of the First Age. No part of Erâth was left unspoiled, and in Cathaï alone remained any trace of green and wild untainted by disease or darkness. This one refuge may […]

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(ii) The Age of Light

The Age of Light – usually referred to as the true First Age – was the first, and perhaps, greatest triumph of Men in the history of Erâth. This bright period of prosperity saw immense advancements in the ability of Men to tame the environment, the expansion of Men into every corner of Erâth, and prolonged life far beyond that of Men before, or ever after. It was the first time that Men began to believe their place in the foundations of Erâth, as the seventh great power, alongside the Mirèn, Namirèn, Illuèn, Duithèn, Sarâthen and Portèn. This time in the history of Men was the brightest ever seen; it was also the briefest.

The First Age lasted a mere three hundred years; by comparison, it had taken Men nearly three thousand years to reach this point in their brief development, and nearly six thousand years have passed since. Men soon learned to use their advancements to stave off the inevitability of death, increasing lifespans rapidly to nearly two hundred years, excepting any unforeseen accidents. Even disease was nearly eradicated.

It was in this greed and desire to become the Eternal as Men thought they were fated […]

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