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Methoria
Background
Oh hear ye
all who have an ear
Of the glorious deeds of a Human.
'Twas seventeen centuries of the dawn
That evil grew and spread.
One man rose from the tribe of Finn
Who conquered by truth and sword
And held off the hordes of darkness
To the very gate of Elic's hand.
The noble race of Elven Kings
Dal'Methor's chosen and pride
Called to this man to grant them aid
To cleanse the earth of its parasites.
He climbed the height of the mystic mount
And embraced the noble ring.
Fourteen suns beyond that day
The evil breathed no more.
The battle driven from the field
The noble Human did find himself
With a wound piercing his heart
That magic could not heal.
But having lived with honor and truth
A mighty breeze did find him
And onto the very battlefield
The Holy Ones did
come.
The cup was offered unto the Human
As the law of Nhor dictates
And an invitation unto paradise
The halls of Rhisspen's holy gates.
But the man did speak of duty's call
Unto his race of human creed
He would not leave his worldly home
Not even death's embrace in hand.
The Ulmartha bid him drink the drought
Of Nhor's holy golden nectur
For he had lived the life of truth
And honored life with life
He assumed the body glorified
On Methoria did he stand perfected.
"What Human is this that has won his race
A rightful home in paradise?"
"My lords, I am Ral of Finn
I am Human, born of man."
[excerpts from the
1st book of Ral -- translated from the Old Haddin]
The legend of Ral is
the ancient past of the land of Methoria, but still has a
profound influence on all the races of today. As the legend
states, Ral ruled the humans in Methor for two thousand years
which is considered The Golden Age of Methoria. He unified the
eight tribes of the humans and lead them in the search for truth
and the achievment of Rhisspen (the afterworld). He did finally
achieve Rhisspen himself in an unorthodox manner: His soulmate
Grenadine's love brought him finally into the holy halls. The
Golden age continued in Methoria for another twelve hundred years
until the first raiding parties landed on it's beaches.
Beginning in the forty-ninth century of Sozarath (the first
dawn), raiding parties began landing on the beaches of Methoria
and continued until the whole continent was ravaged. Towns were
pillaged and the whole continent was set aflame. This was called
The Great Darkness, or the Great Winter, in human terminology and
Misbane by the Elves. The glorious civilizations of the humans
and dwarves were basically destroyed. Even the Great Elven Forest
was charred by it's flames. Sages now claim that the flames that
are said to have caused 'the skys of blackness at midday'
actually brought a type of Ice Age to Methoria and recent
geological evidence has confermed the signs of it.
The history of this time is somewhat blurred, even though the
Mages of Time claim to have verified proof of all events. The
raiders are believed by most to have been Orcs, Ogres, or some
common ancestor of both of them (called the Kelliac in the
ancient scrolls). While the existence of a super- race of Orcs is
a much debated point, evidence does point to the fact that
neither of these races were present in Methoria before the time
of the first raids. Other theories claim that the Reptilemen or
Insect Men are to blame also citing evidence that neither of
these were present before the raids, either. Since none of these
races except for the Reptilemen have kept any records of the
past, and the Book of Ruule (Reptilemen) specifically records
that the first tribes arrived only twelve-hundred years ago, the
theories cannot be verified. No evidence of a super-race of Orcs
have ever been found in Methoria.
The past four thousand (or so) years have been spent 'picking up
the pieces'. The races were preserved (perhaps by great magic).
The Dwarves took shelter by going 'into the mountains'. The Elven
civilization was dispersed with the burning of the Elven Forest
and was nearly destroyed. Those who climbed Mt. Elic or braved
the Black Moutains in the north managed to preserve the noble
race. The humans who survived took up a nomadic way of life and
some of the race still live that life today. All the great
cathedrals and palaces of The Golden Age spoken of in the ancient
scrolls were looted and burned. Relics of this Golden Age are
extremely rare. Most knowledge was apparently lost, or was it?
About Eleven-hundred years ago the Elves returned to The Elven
Forest and begin the process of rebuilding. They proclaimed a New
Age of Wisdom (Pendular) and sent out emissaries to aid the other
races in reclaiming the land. They also set out in their search
for lost knowledge. One of the great finds was the original
scrolls of the Books of Ral. They had been preserved by a group
of Elves that had taken refuge in the Black Mountains. The
fourteen books told the complete history of the land of Methor
from the time of Yedrosia, when all races slept before time, to
the winter of Misbane. It became a rallying point for the new
civilization.
As civilization found its rebirth, other knowledge also began to
surface. Two groups of Humans with links to the past came out of
antiquity. The first of these was a group calling itself the
Son's of Wisdom (Sagiuo Benoi). They produced a massive library
of documents of magical wisdom and claimed it to be the wisdom
from the Golden Age of Methoria. This resulted in the
establisment of the first University in Methoria initially called
the College of Wisdom. Its desendant still exists in the city of
Shevandale. The second group to come out of antiquity were the
Keepers' of the Flame. They produced evidence of the teachings of
Ral seperate from the scrolls found by the Elves complete with
the ritualistic practices of the True Church of Ral. This caused
a slight discord amoung the humans until 'miracles of faith'
began occuring. There is much evidence that Ral appeared himself
and gave the church His blessing. Ral has also taken interest in
the events of humankind and appeared to many others since. No one
can deny the great power residing in the church. The fourteen
books of Ral and the 25 tomes (rituals) of the Keepers comprise
the Sanctum Ral, the holy book of The Church of Ral.
Methor today is in the MCXXXIInd year of Pendular. There has been
a great effort to disperse the knowledge of the ages and there
has been many 'great thinkers' and improvements in the years
since. Society in Methor is highly influenced by magic and
religion. Magic is used in everything from construction to
farming and is considered the 'official science' of the kingdom
and the miracles of the church abound. Study in these two areas
is required of every young citizen.
The power in Methor is divided amoung King Rothmand XVIII and the
Lord Patrona of The Church (Ral in Methor) whose official
proclamations of the church constitute it's law and form a volumn
much larger than the Sanctum Ral. Some also claim that the
Colleges of Wisdom hold great sway in the running of things in
Methor. The King surronds himself with his network of knights who
police the cities and the villages as representatives of his
magesty. Priests also hold official power, as the church presides
in many legal matters. Most humans consider themselves members of
The Church of Ral (90%), even if they are not amoung those that
practice (50%). Excommunication (human's only) would be the
equivalent of banishment. Other races' beliefs are tolerated, but
not encouraged. Race's whose beliefs actually conflict with the
church (Orcs, Ogres, Kobolds, Insect Men, and Bales) are not
welcome in Methor.