"A song in your heart
A story to share
A dance trapped inside
An inexpressible vision
An insatiable soul
May lead you here."

Inscribed on steps of Paldan Conservatory

Book of World History

When most think of ancient history, they think of the days when the great Dekàlan armies sailed across the seas to land and conquer distant shores.  While those days are indeed old and their tales grown wide with age, the story of the Old Empire is by no means the only one.  Millennia before Terrud first set foot upon the mainland of Teréthor a dozen or more empires had risen and fell across the Uren ages. His was not to be the first and would not be the last kingdom spanning nation.  It is impossible to understand an empire without studying those that came before, for only then can you fathom the aspirations of the tyrants to follow.

Here we will touch upon six great empires that have risen during the Uren ages.  Each of these nations contributed in some way to Uren civilization as a whole and in turn have helped shaped the World of Teréth End for all the races that live there.

Empire One: Urzar

The first great Uren empire arose along the misty shores of southern Lyrast.  Though not much remains of this early civilization, the Urzar People (from which the word Uren is derived) thrived in the early part of the Third Age of Emer.  It should be noted that the people of Urzar believed themselves to be descendants of another empire that fell years before on the black isle of Emer, but little is known of those ancients.  It is possible however that many of the discoveries and inventions of the Urzar People may indeed have been developed by an earlier people.

It is unknown whether the Urzar People were recognized in their time (by themselves or others) as a single nation, but it is believed that the people now categorized as a part of this ancient group shared a culture which spanned much of Lyrast for hundreds of years.  Some scholars refer to this group as the Onno Culture, though others include the divergent Lyran and Vulmur which are believed to have left southern Lyrast at an early date.  Though not much remains of the Urzar People, travelers returning from the mysterious north have reported that natives of those remote areas claim direct descendance from these antecedents, specifically the people of frozen Tukumun, Flann and one tribe of Wurm.

The Urzar People are given credit for two important accomplishments.  First, theirs is the earliest known Uren writing.  Again, it is unknown whether they developed writing on their own, with the help of an elder race, or inherited the knowledge from Emereni predecessors.  Second, the Urzar People established the Lyrasti Calendar which continues to be used by scholars throughout the world.  The calendar's earliest known appearance is on the Obelisk of Volorin which was erected after the accepted fall of the Urzar People to the Ikitikirittik in the Fourth Century LR.  It is interesting to note that elder records show an almost identical counting between Lyrasti and Emereni reckoning, but those records have never been available to Uren sages.  Though few ever see the calendar of Volorin (and many that do, do not appreciate the stone's significance), the landscape of southern Lyrast is littered with date-stones erected by the ancients to commemorate something that happened at those spots.  These menhirs have been instrumental in locating nearby Onno Culture graves.

Who were the Urzar People?  Not much information remains about the commonfolk but stone memorials and tombs left by their rulers remain scattered across all of southern Lyrast.  In 4/3382 LR the unplundered tomb of [King] Bodor was uncovered beneath an old hillside mill near (--?--) whose walls had been built using the stones of the indeterminate ruin beneath.  The king had been buried in a stone mound-tomb and layed to rest in a plain wooden sarcophagus; his body was bound in strips of beaten gold and silver encrusted with thousands of precious stones.  Buried with him were the bones of servants and pets all bedecked in fine necklaces and bracelets.  Within his golden bands were found three scrolls which explained who he was and gave some insight into his brief reign.  Portions of the scrolls were stolen and damaged following their excavation.  Almost nothing of the third scroll was ever deciphered before its disappearance (some rumors have placed the location of this stolen scroll as far away as Lur Virid).  Despite this loss, the Mound-Tomb of Bodor gave many insights into the Urzar People.

It is believed that the Urzar People lived in tribal-clusters, separately ruled by warlords but collectively ruled by a regional king.  The First Scroll of Bodor describes the king as having had great sway over many tribes which he commanded via a Star of Ten warlords.  We also know from the scroll that one of those warlords rose against the king and killed him, becoming the next king.  It is not believed that the Urzar People kings were determined by hereditable succession.  It can be surmised from the First Scroll that the culture was warlike, though whether through necessity or tendency is unknown.  Individual tribes probably stood very little chance against the predatory Ikitikirittik, so the system of an over-king likely served the Urzar People well.

Based on other findings, it is believed that the only permanent structures built were the tombs and memorials of Urzar People warlords and kings.  There is no evidence of permanent temples or other community centers.  Even the early City of Urzar was likely constructed from post and hides or thatch.  The evidence for this is curious, because based on the stonework exhibited in their mound-tombs the people were capable carvers and masons.

Another interesting point is that there is no evidence that the Urzar People had domesticated horses but sheep and cattle are represented in the reliefs of some tombs.  The related Vulmur People however are known to have had horses at an early time, some having been buried with them.

Empire Two:

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Empire Three:

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Empire Four: Andul Allyra

The height of the Acentran civilization was reached in the centuries prior to the rise of the Dekàlan Empire.  It was from this period that the influences of Vulmura touched and helped shape the cultures of all those that came into contact with them.  In many ways, the Andul Allyra was a precursor to the Dekàlan Empire, helping to develop the systems of government and religion that would allow its successor to lay claim to vast holdings.

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Empire Five: Dekàlas

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Time Line of Dekàlan History

Empire Six:

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Supplements

Art
Astronomy
Costumes
Drugs
Flora
Gems
Heraldry
History
Language
Literature
Music
Peerages
Philosophy
Poisons
Ships
War
Weather

Histories

Dekàlan History
Lyrasti History
Vulmuran History

Calendars

Here are a list of the most well-known calendar systems

Ancient Reckoning (AR)
A strictly historical calendar that dates backward from the beginning of the High King's calendar.

Before the Wyrm (BW)
A Vulmuran calendar used to reference years preceeding the Reign of Idharaghadi of Samad.

Dekàlan Reckoning (DR)
Calendar adopted following the Fall of Dekàlas.

Emereni Reckoning (ER)
A proper calendar in the Elve tradition, in that it returns to 0 when new ages are entered.

Year of the High King (HK)
Traditional Dekàlan calendar adopted at the coronation of the first High King at Tor Tremendum.  This calendar has fallen from favor since the empire's fall.

Lyrasti Reckoning (LR)
The oldest Uren calendar in continued used today.  An early calendar adopted by late stone age people.  Original records of the calendar remain on menhirs throughout Lyrast.

Year of the Wyrm (YW)
An Acentran calendar measuring the time since the slaying of the wyrmlord Idharaghadi.  Illuminated calendars often portray Aracen slaying the great dragon, a legendary event that marks the beginning of the Acentran civilizations.