WoGv2.0's Backstory - Complete to the Age of Nations

[Sey]

The World of Gaia v2.0
The Story Thus Far...




The world was born from darkness...

Unending darkness... A crucible of chaos.

But even to that primordial existence a ray of light appeared

And eventually, the Universe was split in two.

The Darkness became the realm of Demons

and the Light became the domain of Mortals.

These two worlds existed together for what seemed like an eternity,

But one day, the Mistress of the Dark said,

"These realms were once united, so why not rule them as one?"

From that era forward the dark fought to control the light and the light struggled to defy the dark.

But the nature of man is weak and fragile. There was no way they could hope to oppose the demonic powers of those from the World of Shadows.

Light was overwhelmed by the impenetrable darkness and humanity prepared to meet its end...

Then They appeared...

Their names are the now basis of our world

Fire, Water, Air, Earth

They had no loyalty to either side; however they sought to maintain a balance between the two worlds. Wielding their power for the sake of the world of light, the 4 elements destroyed the ambitious Mistress of Darkness and without her, Darkness lost its power.

To ensure the balance was maintained, all 6 powers took equal parts in creating the seal that separated the two worlds.

That seal is Gaia itself.

The mortals that survived looked up to the Powers that saved them and came to call them Elementals, praising them for their powers and begging to learn their ways. The Elementals chose those true of heart to bear a fraction of their power and with it, they inherited the responsibility to maintain the balance of power in the world.

The Elementals reigned over Gaia for a long, prosperous era, but slowly they tired and, confident in those they chose to inherit their power and responsibility, fell into a deep sleep in their sanctuaries across Gaia; awaiting a time where their powers would be needed again.

For 1000 years the Elemental Avatars fulfilled their responsibility to the balance, but the human spirit is weak and their memories as fleeting as morning mist. The Elementals who purchased their freedom with their own blood became legends and over time, the legend became nothing but a fairytale.

Humanity's lust for power began to taint members of those of the Elementals chosen bloodlines and in their lust, shook off their mantles of responsibility. Their ancestral oaths to maintain the balance was forgotten and their new quest was for power at all costs. Wars ravaged Gaia and the few still loyal to their responsibility to their Elemental benefactors cried out for their help.

And so now, 2000 years have passed since the Elementals' departure to sleep...

 

[Sey]

The Ages of Gaia

arrow The Age of Twilight
arrow The Age of Dreams
arrow The Age of Elementals
arrow The Age of Nations (Present)  

[Sey]

- The Age of Twilight -

The Age of Twilight is an Age that is based mostly around legend. It dates back farther then some of the Elementals themselves and the true History of this Age has been lost to the winds of time. Only the Light and Dark Elementals existed in this chaos and they were dormant. Eventually, their power separated and divided the universe. One realm for Light, another for Dark.

The beings that lived in each plane adapted accordingly to each, and from the bosom of chaos, the first mortals were born. Rendered vulnerable in the realm where there was no shade or shadow, mortals flocked towards the Darkness. Terrified of the beings of the dark, they fled to the light. Eventually, mortals occupied the fine line between the two realms, and the ethereal beings that were restricted to either realm left them to their own devices.

However, as time passed, each realm grew restless. Eventually, there was a soul more ambitious that appeared in the Dark realm. She gathered those who dared to walk into the light and coaxed mortals into her cause, wanting to rule both realms as one.

An attack was launched and the mortals who did not side with the Dark Mistress were killed or sought refuge within the light. Despite being in their own plane, those of the Light were taken by surprise and could not beat back the Darkness. Chaos ensued and once more the realms seemed as though they would return to the chaos from which they came.

And then the other Elementals appeared.

The 4 Elementals of Fire, Water, Air and Earth came and pushed back the Darkness and destroyed those that crossed into the Light. To ensure that another war would not occur, all 6 Elementals came together and created a third plane. At its center they placed a seal, ensuring that there was a definite separation between all 3 planes. This seal would later be called Gaia, the first world of the Mortal Plane.

Those that survived the attack marveled at the new world and longed to venture forth, while some were content with staying in the realm of Light, taking solace in the fact that they had sheltered and protected them before.

With the Elementals, the mortals that had chosen to depart from the plane of light traveled to Gaia and started their lives a new.

~*. ~ .*~

Length of Age:

• Mythical

Key Events:

• The Creation of Gaia
  
• The Birth of the other Elementals (Fire, Water, Air, Earth)
  

 

[Sey]

- The Age of Dreams -

All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams

During this forgotten age, the Elementals and Mortals coexisted together on Gaia, learning the ways of their new world. The Age of Dreams was named as such by Gaian Historians becuase essentially, this Age was when the foundations of what Gaia is today were laid; built with the dreams of their ancestors.

The characteristics that seperate gatherings and civilizations were introduced in these 1,000 years: Cities, Gaian Script, Religion, Politics, Arts, Learning, Economics, Fighting, Hunting, Agriculture, Forging - these gifts were taught to the first Mortals by the omnipotent Elementals, who were rumored to leave those who learned well with Stones that shined of their Power.

During this age of prosperity and peace, there was a group of people who did not believe in any elemental. Wherever they walked, death and misery was always close by, and famine seemed to cling to them like shadows. Much else about this clan is unknown, even to historians and scholars. For this fact, they have been dubbed forgotten, and the only truth of their existance lies with the Bloodline families.


The Age of Dreams was the only age where War did not sully Gaia's face. However, this would soon change in the Age of Elementals. With their newly learned skills of weaponry, these young Gaians fell to the weakness of mortal urges - ambition turning to greed, turning to hate, turning to war.

Soon, the peaceful world that was Gaia was thrust into war after countless war.

~*. ~ .*~

Length of Age:

• 1,000 Years

Key Events:

• The Start of Civilization on Gaia, ie: Weapons, cities, all that jazz.
  
• Introduction of Elemental Stones
  

 

[Sey]

- The Age of Elementals -

The Age of Elementals was a key turning point in Gaia's history, as it was the first instance where the Elementals left Gaia in the care of Gaians, and chose the 6 Elemental Scions whose descendents make up the Elemental Bloodlines of Gaia.

This 1,000 year Age was started with the First Gaian War which erupted mere months after the Elementals left Gaia for their own plane. It was during this war that Hyphos & Higashi's boundaries were drawn, and the great Gaian Plains became the battle field and disputed grounds for the Gaian battles. There are a total of 12 recorded instances of Elemental Summoning in this age, and 9 unrecorded instances. 3 of these 21 areas have been completely mined by mining companies across Gaia, and all that is left is a gaping hole where the land that was turned into Elemental Stone had been. (See "Why Would you Want to Awaken an Elemental?")

Because of this age of war, various blood feuds were created between families and many good Gaians lost their lives.

However, in this chaos, the 6 Elemental Scions, wielding the power they were given by the Elementals themselves, brought some semblence of peace and order to the realm. Their actions during this age ensured their position of power in the years and generations to come, their blessed blood holding them above other Gaians.

With the vast majority of the Bloodlines holding true to their ancestor's oath to maintain a balance of power on Gaia, the peacetimes between each territorial war grew longer, and negotiations between each feuding group were mediated by the de Mournays and the Kaikous, and after 72 years of clan vs. clan fighting, Hyphos and Higashi were formed, with the Royal line of de Mournay at the head of Hyphos and the Imperial House of Kaikou ruling Higashi.

After the Great 77 Year War, there was 23 years of peace, during which many aspiring mages traveled to the 6 Elemental Temples to learn from the various Magi who learned their craft from the Scions themselves. During this time, both the de Mournays and the Kaikous met in Laburnum City and signed the first International Act that established all 6 Elemental Temples as neutral lands, where no army can be quartered, nor land be quarreled over. No caravan traveling to a Temple may be attacked, without pain of punishment from their home Nation.

However, after a short 23 years, another war broke out and heralded in 400 more years of sporradic conflict, with the greatest stretch of peace being 10 years on the 475th year of the Age of Elementals. After this, on the 485th year, the death of Pao Weilan Kaikou, Eldest son of the 24th Emperor of Higashi caused another 15 years of war, which is known as the bloodiest years of Gaia's history. 18 Elemental Summonings occured during these years, and all the bloodlines began to thin as their members were falling due to the war.

The impact of the death of bloodline members was felt across Gaia, and Weilan's War ended in an uneasy truce between Hyphos and Higashi. Weeks after the truce was signed, Myung Kaikou, 24th Emperor of Higashi, died, and his son Kazuma Kaikou took up the mantle of Emperor of Higashi.

The end of Weilan's War brought a truce to Gaia, and ushered in a new age, the Age of Nations.

~*. ~ .*~

Length of Age:

• 500 Years

Key Events:

• The First Gaian War
  
• The Elemental Scions claim power
  
• Hyphos & Higashi created
  
• Teritorial Claims drawn between Hyphos & Higashi
  
• The Great 77 Year War starts & ends
  
• Elemental Temples claimed as Neutral Lands
  
• Temple Act signed
  
• Weilan's War starts & ends, ushering in the Age of Nations
  

 

[Sey]

~ The Age of Nations ~

Territory is but the body of a nation. The people who inhabit its hills and valleys are its soul, its spirit, its life.
- James A. Garfield

With the end of the Weilan War and a new peace dawning upon Gaia, a new age was drawn into existance. The present day is the 5th year of the Age of Nations; an Age whose name was taken from the strength of the 3 great Nations of Gaia: Hyphos, Astraena and Higashi.

5 Years ago, the King of Hyphos, Aruski De Mournay and Late Emperor of Higashi, Myung Kaikou signed the Weilan-Reinelle Memorial Treaty which declared peace between the two great Nations. The current Emperor of Higashi, Kazuma Kaikou, honors this Treaty and for the past 5 years, peace and prosperity have spread throughout Gaia.

*under continuous construction*