Peregorne

From the time it erupted from the sea and drifted into Fnordica, its eastern coast creating the Tithkullian Alps and Wyrmstead Mountains, Peregorne has shown itself to be one of the most strategically placed and important empires in Thrael. Bordered at the east and northeast by the Tallosian Ocean and Kivian Sea, the other boundaries of Peregorne include Kuthgard to the northwest, Laurdia to the west and Indrejan, which was originally part of the province, to the south. During the peak of the Giantkind-Dragyn wars, the Giantkind's gharkin army, known as "dragynslayers," swept across central Laurdia towards Peregorne's eastern coast and the last of the major territorial holdings of dragynkind were destroyed in the Battle of Wyrmsead. The epic war resulted in the formation of the Fenwyllen Mountains, which divided Peregorne in half, forming the subcontinent of Indrejan.

Long the central meeting point for all the mages of northern Thrael, Peregorne became the center of learning. It was in Kem, later to be known as Kemstead, that the Conference of Malakvia, which was an historic gathering of sylvan, il'lthye, druim'dwer and tychean races, first took place. Meeting to discuss issues of concern among dominant races of Thrael, the races came mostly to study the humans, or the 'daun', as the dwarves named them, who were the focal point of the conference. The Treaty of Malakvia was created and specified that none of the attending members of the conference were to share magic with the humans. It was feared that the race would develop too quickly and outnumber the older races of Thrael. It was at this Conference that the Malakvian Calendar was also created. The foundations of Kemstead Abbey were laid at Kem on the site of the Conference of Malakvia by the multi-racial organization who declared the village of Kemstead an independent village-state dedicated to the preservation of Malakvian knowledge, culture and history in the name of Duvan. Today we know this site as Kemstead Abbey.

It was during the Age of Lords that the il'lthye began leaving their lands in Peregorne. First the House de nox'Ascenti were banished from dark elven territories in southern Peregorne, and then the House xul'Abraxas are exiled from the dark elf territories in Peregorne for practicing a new form of magic known as "Channeling." Uprisings in the dark elf city of Helasfume were blamed on a growing underclass of citizens. The government instituted marshal law and a rigid campaign ensued to rid the city of treasonous elements among several powerful merchant guilds. Guild members were forced into exile, and many merchant groups eventually set sail from Peregorne's eastern coast in search of new territories.

Lord Zaxleto Caellien, a prominent member of the ruling class of Helasfume began speaking out against the temples and the government. He theorized that religion and faith had no room in modern Kenzian culture. He charged the temples with corruption and stated that they had been working to prevent modern advances in science, health and government. Caellien attracted many followers and established a guild of forward-thinking theurgists. The Caellien League was charged with heresy by the dominant temples of Helasfume. Members, who escaped death and imprisonment at the hands of the authorities, left the city and traveled underground into Iztavullaxim's Reach, a massive cavern that had formerly been home to an ancient dragyn. There, the league established the il'lthye House, Broc Caillaen, a society dedicated to the preservation of Kenzian mysteries and secrets. Many members unhappy with the politics of the society broke away and migrated to Noskalv where they still lead a secret life, completely devoid of any cultures but their own.

While the il'lthye were experiencing this flux, the dauns began to perfect and develop farming techniques and the Kenzian cultures under the humans were beginning to reach their peak. Helasfume was regarded far and wide as the epicenter of modern Kenzian culture. Switching from their "stone circle" building style, the highmanish Gaels began work on the Eyes of Mathair, a megalithic stone structure dedicated to Beade in central Kessia. During the Age of Empires, The Eyes of Mathair are dismantled because it was learned that raiders from Noskalv were using the monolith to time travel back and forth as they raided the Peregorne cities. A number of Norgmann in various raiding parties were trapped in Peregorne. These highmen eventually gathered into a singular tribe and established a small community of Gaelo-Kalvic highman. The tribe migrated north to settle in what is now known as the Bristeach Isles. Hundreds of years later, scholars would attribute the similarity between Noskalvi and Kivian cultures to the existence of megalithic portals such as the Eyes. It is also believed that this was the way the Broc Caellien reached the northern coast of Noskalv.

During the Age of Wonders, the remaining il'lthye and sylvani began work on their magical city of Roshanon in southeastern Peregorne. By the year 110 Age of Chaos, Roshanon has reached it zenith as a haven for all elves and a mecca for those who practice all sorts of magic. Then, in 117, the Wyrd, which was the New Church of Gohd established by Father Ippel Glynt to wipe out all relics and information from the Age of Wonders, reached the city. By 121, the city of Roshanon fell to the combined efforts of the Wyrd and the Horde lead by Thax Eye-Ripper of the gharkin Claigh Ballt. Roshanon was completely destroyed, its glory defiled and its residents fled far to the northwest and dispersed. Never again was there a city of such unparalleled perfection. Even New Roshanon, whose groundwork was laid along the shores of the Sodalian Sea in Quesalia in 151, never reached the achievements of the old city.

In 205, a popular warrior faith developed among the daun Highlanders in the Fenwyllen Mountains. Several facets attributed to a god known as Jakob began to appear to the different clans. Jakobian temples sprung up among Highlander and Kenzian cultures, who dwelled along the shores of the Kivian Sea, and the modern faith of the empire was born. When Barthelgrimm the Conquerer became the first King of Kessia in 1145 and established the Duchy of Kaezar, building the old town, he brought his Jakobian beliefs with him and created the first temple, exactly where it is today.

A long succession of Kings that shared Barthelgrimm's blood followed, including the Marestahl line until Lord Kenton MacVahl delivered the Kenton Address at Feusalhide and his army repelled the Horde, driving them back to Laurdia. Lord Kenton himself was slain at the Battle of Helasfume and upon his death a mysterious old man appeared upon the battlefield and cast the first acknowledged spell since the Age of Wonders. This act paved the way for Lady Pendre of Kemstead and her entourage to re-ignite the seeds of modern magic. The repercussions of this historical event resealed existing breaches in the Veil and brought the magic arts back to Peregorne. With his magic users to aid him, Jikel MacVahl at age seventy-five won the last major battle against the Horde and ushered in the Age of Dreams, which has been called Peregorne's renaissance.

King Nund III died in the year 108 AoD without an heir, marshalling the end of the old Kings and the MacVahl line assumed the monarchy of Kessia when Lord Erech MacVahl at age one-hundred-and-six was crowned king of Kessia. The MacVahl Kings were to face many tests of their power, including the taking of Surt from the warlord Magnus deNaur and renaming it Keyne in honor of the general who lead the invasion. But the biggest tribulation was to come when Haigi orc forces were narrowly defeated by Tybin III's army at the Battle of Glamercarrick near ruins of old Roshanon and it was discovered that the Vashan Empire had been outfitting aggressive Haigi warlords with superior Vashan high steel weaponry in an effort to weaken Kessia's strong military presence along the Kivian Sea. On 436 AoD, the Vashan Imperial Navy launched an early morning assault to seize Kessian colonial settlements on Sajoi island. It was at this time that the Kessian royal family decided to ally themselves with the emperor in Penthras, Traesilium the Bold. Offering his protection to the Kessians and forming the Imperial Guard, he strengthened his hold on the rest of the kingdoms in Peregorne and created what was formally called the Kivian Imperium.

Today, Anthemian the Just, Emperor of the Great Kivian Imperium rules over all of Peregorne from the city-state of Penthras and his word is undisputed. To provide for smooth government and consistency in policy, an Imperial Council, helps maintain stability during those times when the Emperor is ill, away on military campaign or in cases when a Emperor is too young to make decisions of state. At the current time there are fourteen seats at the Council table all of which are hereditary except for one, which is held by a representative of the Jakobian Church. A growing political entity within the Empire is the renowned Wizards Council. Comprised by the Deans of Arcane of the famed College of Arcane Studies, this council operates primarily to oversee the study and instruction of magical arts. The Council has twelve seats and is overseen by the head Wizard who holds the thirteenth seat and has the final word in all matters. Each kingdom within the empire is ruled by a monarch, who governs his own kingdom, usually without question by the empire, unless there is a matter of grave dispute.