Lakewood History: As is believed

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The History of Thrae:

(NB: an Age is approximately 1,000 human years)

~ Foreword ~

Know all who read this, that contained within the pages of this book is a
history of the Alinear and the times that followed. Compiled by myself,
Hashin Ral, devoted follower of the Order of the Sun. This book is
written so that the tales contained within will not fade into the mists
of time, and in the hopes that someone may read them and take up the
struggle against The Four. For as I write this their power grows and they extend their reach into the world.
I would ask of the reader to preserve this book, to see to it that the knowledge contained within does not die out.
For the glory of the Alinear
Hashin Ral

~ Prologue ~
Before the elves raised the first cities, and before mankind began its
population of Thrae, the many mortal races that inhabited the planet
were in a constant state of war. The Seer of Tath tells that the
conflicts drove races to the edge of extinction, some races destroyed,
forever lost.
During this state of war three races were mainly prominent:
-
The Elves. Fair and beautiful their prowess with Magic and Woodlore saw
them a deadly foe. History records them as a brutal race at this time,
possessing none of the regal qualities we see in them today.
-
The Humans. Apt at whatever they turned their hand to, the other races
of the earth were surprised by their abilities. A savage and hostile
race, they were well known for their bloodlust, they were the epitome
of all things people today consider evil.
-
Greenskins. The trolls, srocs and goblins of the world spread like a
plague. They were weak on their own, but as their numbers grew, great
hordes of them began to move across the world. It was only through the
actions of the Elves, and later the Alinear, that brought the Greenskin
threat under control.
Little did the mortal races of Thrae realise they were being watched over. As
the wars continued, and hundreds of thousands fell to sword and fire,
the Alinear did, in all their grace, descend from the High Heavens, in
what was to become known as the First Age.

~ Chapter I : The Arrival ~

The arrival of the Alinear heralded a time of change and peace within the
world. Beings of light and benevolence, one hundred of them descended
to help the mortal races of Thrae.

The Alinear appeared, en masse, atop a large hill in the middle of the
largest continent of Thrae. From there they established the first of
many great cities. Indeed, it was from here that the Alinear were to
rule. For at this site, Ainder Tath was founded. The Greatest City of
the Old World.
Legend speaks of a time when it rose to the Heavens and every race walked
without fear through marble and gold paved streets. The largest city on
Thrae, it's magnificance was said to be so grand that each city built
thereafter was but a mere shadow compared to it. The Keep of High
Heaven was said to be the centre of this city, in which the Alinear
watched and guided their ever growing empire. Though all this took time and
I must pass to you what came before the peace.
At first the other races of Thrae viewed the Alinear as a threat. They saw
them as aggressors come to make war. Records are unclear, but it is
believed an army of some ten thousand Elves and Humans marched upon the
site of Alinder Tath. This fact alone is an important one for it was
the first time in history the two races united.
Lead by a Human called Orthex, and an Elf named Keth'tahl, what happened
next is completely unknown for there is no written record to be found
of it. Witnesses claim to have seen a bright light like an explosion on
the western horizon followed by the calmest night anyone could
remember.
Whatever did happen, the next day Orthex, Keth'tahl and the entire army were the
first to swear fealty to the Alinear. So great was their devotion, each
of the one hundred commanders present were charged with the protection
of the Alinear, the Human commanders were gifted with a longevity only
previously enjoyed by the Elves and the group became known as The
Immortals.
The age in which the Alinear ruled over the world is often referred to as
the Golden Era. Marked as a time of great expansion and learning,
people the world over entered a state of happiness and tolerance that
was never seen before. Peace and prosperity fell like a blanket over
Thrae. First the Elves, then Dwarves, Greenskins and every other race
under the sun were welcomed with open arms to a wonderful new era of
harmony.
To mark this occasion, the Alinear are said to have planted a great oak
seed somewhere in the world. Where this may be is unknown, only that it
was a symbol of both their power, benevolence and generosity.

This peace did not last however. As is the case with most things in the
world, a natural balance must be had and as it was with nature so too
it was with good and evil on Thrae. Though the Alinear had brought a
harmony not before and not since known, there were still dark creatures
with thoughts of ruin and domination forever at the fore of their
thoughts.
Whispers spread throughout the underground networks that The Keep of High Heaven
was a Gateway to the Alinear home plane and that power absolute over
the world could be had by the one who ruled it. This was the beginning
of the uprising of evil for the first time since the Alinear had
arrived on Thrae.

~ Chapter II: The War of Blood ~

What followed were long years of raids, minor battles and attempted
assassinations of the Alinear. This was a haphazard unorganised mess of
minor demons and creatures of the underground, all battling to achieve
the same thing at the same time against each other and the against the
Alinear, their protectors and their loyalists.
It was not until a creature of rare cunning saw this would get them
nowhere and began to gather a unified force. Four leaders grew out of
the gathering of demons though their names are unknown even to this day
and are only ever referred to as their number in order of joining the
evil alliance.
They were to become known as The Four, and once organised, their attacks on
the great empire of the Alinear became more effective and deadly. A
year after The Fourth joined the ranks of the brotherhood the War of
Blood was visited upon the lands of Thrae.
For 7 years the blood of elf, man, greenskin and demon was spilt upon the
soil of this beautiful world. The Alinear, even with all their power,
were becoming weaker, for the evil that grew in the world was draining
the good, which fed the Alinear and kept them strong.

Fearing their downfall, they made plans to withdraw to the heavenly planes.
There was a problem however, the original portal, with which they had
entered Thrae, was a permanent one. It could be moved, but not closed
for any reason and they had to make sure it would never be found nor
used by the brotherhood of The Four.
It was this plan that led to the eventual destruction of Ainder’ Tath.
Rumours spread throughout the land like wildfire (these rumours were of
course started by Orthex’s men) that the Keep of High Heaven had been
destroyed and buried in the rubble of the magnificent city.
Not a week after the city had fallen, the Alinear called Orthex and
Keth'tahl to a secret meeting. During this meeting it was bestowed upon
Orthex and his men to remain protectors of the Alinear, The Immortals
were to continue to fight against the usurping evil that was slowly
filling the world in their absence.
To Keth’tahl they bestowed the charge of Keeper of the Gate. He and each
first born of his lineage would hold the secret of the Gate for a
generation until the next Keeper was of age to take his or her place.
Keth’tahl and a dozen of the Alinear left in secret late one night soon
after and began their search for a new location to establish the Keep
of High Heaven whilst Orthex and the Immortals set about causing great
losses in the ranks of the Four.
Keth’tahl and the Alinear were successful in hiding their departure and spent
many months scouring the lands to find a place suitable. At last they
decided on a desolate and isolated location high in the alps of a
distant range on the southern most continent and began the task of
building the keep. When enough had been accomplished the Alinear called
their brothers one by one to the location of the portal.
The world did not notice the slow withdrawal of their benevolent leaders
until it was too late. The War of Blood had kept their focus elsewhere,
which was exactly as the Alinear had hoped. It seemed as if they had at
least succeeded in preventing the threat of evil reaching the heavenly
planes and the world settled into a cycle of birth, death, peace and
unrest much as any other planet in the heavens.
Keth’tahl and his wife, Ja'nessa, remained in the remote location with a handful
of his most trusted warriors and kept their vigilant guard over the
keep of High Heaven.

~ Chapter III – The Keepers of the Gate ~

Keth’tahl and his wife Ja’ Nessa started three major traditions in their quest to
guard the 'Gate of Creation', as it would come to be known.
The first was to change the line of succession. Originally the first born
child regardless of sex would become the next keeper. Keth’tahl and Ja’
Nessa decided on naming only the first female born child as heir to the
Key. This was strategic in nature, for they both believed that a female
heir would be less expected by the dark forces and therefore safer from
detection.

The second was to hide the first born female of their line with the human
descendants of Orthex, to be raised by human parents for protection
then informed and schooled in their lineage when they came of age. They
would then return to the Keep of High Heaven and take up their reign as
Keeper of the Gate.
The third tradition they began, was the naming of the first born heir. Each
female born to those in the line of keepers was given the name Ja’
Nessa after the First Keeper. When they were sent to their human
guardians they then assumed the human equivalent of Jessica to further
aid in their concealment.
This formula succeeded for nearly 6 Ages after the Alinear departed and the
Keep of High Heaven remained safe. The lineage remained unbroken and
the elven heirs arrived at their appointed time to take up their role
as the next Keeper of the Gate. Although, as with most things in the
worlds of mortals, it was not to succeed unchallenged forever.
Toward the close of the 6th Age, the line of the gate keepers was broken
when a band of Dark Riders raided a small village where the current heir had
been hidden. It was an unfortunate twist of fate and circumstance that saw this
particular town reduced to nothing but smouldering rubble. All within
its walls perished that terrible night save for a handful of young
children whom the Riders took captive.
A young girl of approximately 10 human years was lucky she did not suffer
the same fate as her parents. She was one of the captured children and
taken, along with the others, to the Dark Riders village.
There she spent the next 6 years as a personal servant to one of the higher
demons. Perhaps some would say, it was fates way of lending the Keeper
a helping hand as she learnt things in her time there that she would
never or perhaps should never have learnt. Though she did not know it
then, these lessons would be exactly what she would need in coming
years to protect her family.
A strange yet strong bond formed between captor and captive over the
years and as she grew into a young woman, it strengthened further
still. Then one night a few months past what should have been her 16th
birthday, her master, for reasons that require another book entirely,
chose not to pursue her when she snuck out of her quarters and ran,
escaping her life of slavery and heading full speed into her
pre-destined fate. A fate of which she had no knowledge.
She ran and hid through a maze of forests and fields in the days that
followed, hungry and tired, she did not give up. What lay behind her
was driving her forward, giving her reserves in strength that kept her
moving.

Late on the 8th eve of her escape she topped a small hill and saw lying below, a small
village. Smoke wafted up from chimney’s and lanterns flickered through
windows as the town prepared for sleep. She made her way into the town
and proceeded to look for food and a warm place to sleep. She managed
to find this inside what seemed to be the local saddlery. Hushing the
horses gently, she found water, some stale bread and a blanket and
settled herself in the back of a stable and fell asleep.