Valorcall

Author: Kuro

Located on the far end of Terrestria sits the ancient land that is now called Valorcall. Home to a variety of races, man and beast, and filled with natural and magical wonders.

Valorcall was not always the giant supercountry of today, but has been in a constant tumultuous change throughout its history, which begins back to untold aeons, as possibly one of the oldest unchanged landmasses on the planet of Rigel Prima.

Chapter 1 - Dragons and the Ancient Man

Prehistory - The Age of Dragons

Very little is known of Valorcall's earliest days due to the lack of any proper studies on fossil records, but it's commonly accepted that valorcall had once been its own continent, alone in the sea of ancient Rigel Prima. It's unknown if the land was alive in any way before its first "official" inhabitants arrived from the cracks in in the sky: the Dragons.

When the Age of Dragons started is as much of a mystery as the time before them. The only surviving accounts from this time are inscriptions upon massive ceremonial walls found deep within their lairs, temples, and tombs. Attempts at deciphering this dragon alphabet have been less than successful, so any reports of a wall's translation are often taken with a grain of salt by valorian scholars. It's assumed the Dragons, unlike their modern day descendents, led independent existences, with each Dragon holding their own territory which they guarded against invading Dragons. While easy to dismiss as violent creatures, the Dragons' nature was more complex than it would seem, and alien to modern sensibilities. Dragons did not fight with claws and fangs, but with their powerful words, in what is commonly known today as the Voice: a Dragon's very language was imbued with magical properties of immense power, capable of altering the essence of the world around them by uttering a single word. While these confrontations often had destructive results upon the land, the Dragons would most likely see it no different than a verbal dispute over a piece of land.

Dragons were immortal, untouched by concepts of time and mortality, yet at some unknown point in time, something changed that. Dragons slowly lost their powers, becoming mortal and vulnerable as any other species. Theories on this event vary greatly, from biological reasons to godly intervention, but these are merely speculations. All that is known is that something happened that changed the Dragons forever, and it's those changes that led to their downfall.

Fall of Dragons - Rise of Man

Valorian scholars make no distinction between the races of their country. Although there have been many attempts at debunking the "one Man" theory by many of the country's kings, emperors, and religious leaders throughout time, scholars unanimously agree that all races - be they human, elf, or orc - all spawned from one singular breed of Man, known as the Alpha Man. Despite scholars' standing united behind this theory, very little is known about this ancient race of Men. Scholars believe they were brought here either by, or simply along with, the Dragons. A young and frail race, the Alpha Man was powerless against the mighty Dragons, who they saw - or were forced to worship - as living gods.

All of that changed however, along with the Dragons. At some point in time, the Alpha Man learned they could bring down the Dragons, and rebel against their oppressive former-gods. This allowed the Alpha Man to grow and expand, and give way to the first civilization: where the Alpha Man rose from warring slaves, into a powerful force ready to stomp their mark on Valorcall, in a period known as the Ancient Man.

The war between Dragons and Ancient Man was in no way a short one, and certainly not easy. Ancient Man was still divided and subjugated by the Dragons, who - standing against an opposing force for the first time - began to form nests and groups, working together for the first time to bring down a common threat. For thousands of years, Ancient Man struggled for their freedom against the Dragons, and while the Dragons held superior magic and strength, Ancient Man thrived in their sheer numbers compared to their opponents, who quickly dwindled.

The Kingdom of Man - Modern Days

After a long and grueling conflict, Ancient Man managed to drive the Dragons into hiding, and finally claim the land as their own. Thus begins the modern age of man, but not the end of Dragons. Broken and humbled, the Dragons retreated into the tallest mountains and deepest caves to escape the wrath of Man. Although scattered throughout the continent, one brood of Dragons managed to thrive for a few centuries, located in the present day Nord territory of Tunstaaud.

But those Dragons were too forced out of their lands by the coming of the ancestor Nords - the last enclave of the ancient Dragon society lost with time. But Dragons were far from extinct. They still live to this day, as a whisper of their former might. Modern Dragons are not feral, as many are quick to judge. They are sentient creatures, each with their own personality and rules between each nest.

They adapted to their environment as Modern Man adapted to them, but the ancient rivalry still persists among the communities. The Nords pride themselves as dragon hunters, but feel an unspoken kinship with the ancient beasts, allowing dragons to thrive along their territories more than any other - a highly valuable situation for the Nords, as the threat of Dragons keeps other kingdoms from striking against them. To the West, the Orcs are notorious for their slaughter of Dragons, who they see as the ultimate prey. Dragon bones are used for their weapons as well as armor for the richest warlords, often forged by themselves. Dragons are rare along the Eastern and Southern territories, and for a time were considered nothing but legends. But today they are well aware of their existence, and the fairytales of old have taught them to not take the Dragons lightly.

Where the future will take the proud dragon races, no one can know. But, with the dramatically fast continental shifts in ancient Rigel Prima's, the once isolated Valorcall gains a feeble link to the mainland of what is now Terrestria, and the history of Man truly begins.

Chapter 2 - The Kingdom of Man

The One Race

With the fall of the Age of Dragons, Ancient Man found himself in the position as his ancient enemy. No longer tormented by oppressive living gods, and having no opposition to stop them, the Ancient Man's kingdom grew throughout all of Valorcall. This would mark the first time the ancient country had been united under one crown, and receiving the first of its many names: Jut. The World. The supreme ruler of this new free world was King Hiemsel, most likely the descendent of, or even a general himself, in the war against the last remnants of the Dragons. Due to the scarcity of documents at this time, King Hiemsel's feats are lost in the mists of time, but he remains a celebrated figure in Nordic and Elven mythology, as well as a feared harbinger of the End Times in Orcish religion.

What few documents, wall inscriptions, and ruins have survived to this day tell a story of a unified continent. Ancient Man lived in an almost utopian society, reveling in their new found freedom. King Hiemsel was fair to his men, and his men were loyal to him. With no enemies around them, there was no need for armies to pillage, no shortage of land to feed his people, and riches were plentiful. King Hiemsel I was followed by King Hiemsel II. Them Hiemsel III, and Hiemsel IV, all his descendents. King Hiemsel V would be the last of the dynasty, and forever known as the man that split the world asunder.

The White King of Wolves

After centuries of peace, Ancient Man had grown peaceful, yet powerful. And yet, like their masters before them, a simple change brought down the beings once thought invincible. The ever changing landscape of Rigel Prima had begun to accelerate, entire continents appearing from thin air, crushing, shattering, swallowing up whatever landmasses stood in their path. Jut survived intact, but the minor change these violent continental drifts brought with them had disastrous consequences in the history of the former continent. A small bridge was formed, in the south easternmost corner of Jut between the continent that is now Terrestria, and from this bridge of dirt and rock, and unsuspecting enemy would brave across into the unfamiliar new appendix. Not another ancient civilization, looking for trade or war. Not a disease either, but an animal. The tundrawolf.

Wolves were no strangers within Jut, yet these were no ordinary wolves, but the ancestor of modern day werewolves. These ancient creatures left their former, possibly due to severe climate changes, in search of new hunting grounds, and they thrived in the icy conditions of Jut, gorging on the country's vast supply of wild horses, deer, cattle, and even the titanic mammoths. yet despite this new introduction into the ecosystem, tundrawolves had very little impact, quickly adapting into their new environment. Although a bane to farmers all over Jut, the tundrawolf was no more of a concern than a regular pack of wolves. King Hiemsel V was known for hunting tundrawolves, earning him the nickname of "The White King of Wolves". But, what the King went to great length to hide from the public were his real interests in these wolves. While he and his court were quick to tell of his hunts against the male specimens of tundrawolves, his attraction to the females of the species was kept in complete secrecy. But it wouldn't last forever, and for the first time in Ancient Man's history, a disgusted public turns against their King. Hiemsel V was deemed an abomination, and cast out of his throne. He would vanish from the public eye in disgrace, never to be seen again. But the consequences of his actions are still felt today.

Rebirth of the Gods

For centuries, the Hiemsel dynasty had ruled Jut with a kind yet firm hand. In the span of two weeks, the dynasty came to an abrupt end. Hiemsel V had been cast out of the throne, leaving behind no known heirs. The former king's court thought they had a simple solution, by appointing their highest ranked general to the throne, but they were met with unexpected opposition. Religion wasn't a household concept in these times. The scars of their former gods' rule still lingered in Ancient Man through their songs and tales. Religious faction were few, and kept within tight circles in small villages. With the banishing of Hiemsel V, religious leaders across Jut rose their voices for the first time. They preached against the heresy, slandering the Hiemsel name and all of the court who aided him in his sickening ways. In their eyes, Jut needed a king devoid of earthly temptations, someone chosen by the gods themselves to lead their kingdom into a new era of prosperity.

Yet the court remained firm in their decision. King Fullmehn I was crowned ruler, to the praises of half the populace, and the scorn of the other. The court assumed the religious crowd would return to hiding, and that all would return to normal now that a King had been established. They were wrong. The religious leaders of Jut did not take the decision lying down. Their sermons became more public, their numbers growing in size. The King, threatened by their growth, outlawed the worship of anyone other than the King himself. This did nothing to dwindle the growth of religion, and in fact, it only aided in spreading it.

The public was outraged. Even those unaffiliated with the religious crowd saw the King's actions as an insult to the freedom their ancestors struggled so hard to achieve. With tensions rising, it wasn't long until something deemed unthinkable would happen. The King's army would be met with violent opposition for the first time since the Age of Dragons. The religious leaders rallied their men to fight not just for their gods, but against an oppressive King. Civil war had broken out in Jut.

Turn of the Tide

War had come to Jut. Ancient Man had picked up arms for the time in centuries, but this time, the enemy was himself. The religious factions, tired of being oppressed by the military rule of King Fullmehn I, had taken up arms to establish their own king, and bring peace to Jut once more. Meanwhile, King Fullmehn I and his court did their best to silence the opposition, and assure a cowering public that their way of life would not be forced to change by religious fanatics. For a long time, the King's words seemed to come to fruition. The religious faction was comprised of common farmers and villagers, a makeshift militia that stood little chance against the King's army, trained in old ways of warfare. But all of that would change, thanks to a single arrow.

With victory all but assured, King Fullmehn I took to the battlefield himself to further boost the morale of his armies. He led several successful charges against the religious faction's main bases, planning on ending his tour with the army once they took down Naght Hill. An ancient and mighty fortress, one of the oldest standing buildings at the time, dating from the war against the Dragons, it had fallen under the religious crowd's control as a holy place, blessed by the gods in man's stand against the Dragons. Fullmehn I knew that by taking Naght Hill he would be delivering a devastating blow against those who believed the gods would protect them. A victory here would show them who was really in charge. In the early hours of the morning, the siege began. The King's men stormed the gates, tearing apart the very stone off the massive wall as they stormed the ancient fort. Its inhabitants took up arms, but they were swept aside by the superior armored armies of the King. The streets burned, littered with the corpses of the opposition, as King Fullmehn took two steps inside the walls uttering the now infamous question:

"Which of your gods will come bow before me first?"

And not two seconds later, the King fell. An arrow pierced his head, shot from one of the many burnt dwellings inside the fortress. He never saw it coming. The King's men stop their assault, staring in complete disbelief and horror at their fallen King. The balance had shifted, and the armies were driven out of Naght Hill, all thanks to the daughter of the local milkman. A young peasant woman named Ysmit. To this day, she remains a controversial figure in Valorcall. After the King's defeat at Naght Hill, she was hailed as the Chosen One. The one true King, handpicked by the gods to lead the religious faction to victory, and claim Jut for themselves. She did not disappoint, proving to be not only an excellent marksman, but a cunning strategist as well. Scholars today doubt her existence, or at least the feats she was claimed to have made, citing her as a product of religious propaganda. Fabricated achievements or not, Ysmit became an important figure in Ancient Man's history, turning a hopeless loss into a fighting chance.

But, with the death of the King, this left the throne open once again, for only the second time in Man's history. The state of disarray all over Jut made it impossible for the court to appoint an official king, but unlike his predecessor, Fullmehn I did not allow his lineage to vanish off the face of the world. His son Grunn, who would change his name to Fullmehn II in honor of his late father, would stop at nothing to regain control of the land to his family. Ysmit may have rid her people of a powerful enemy, but she has instigated the wrath of a much more dangerous foe, in what would become known as the War of the Empty Throne.