Kingdoms Forlorn

The Fall of Aldori Empire by Chronicler Orassian This chronicle marks the last days Emperor Ayluin and the fall of Aldori Empire. Let is be known that he has ruled with wisdom and strength for over ten thousand and three hundred years, and there was harmony for almost nine thousand of those years. Our great empire was doomed the moment the Horn of Juphion sounded, and humans awoke. At first we welcomed them just as we did all other races. We gave them science, agriculture, and all the arcane knowledge we have acquired over the millennia. We trusted them, for they were the children of Juphion, children of order. We were mistaken. We thought their hearts to be as pure as others and failed to see them for what they truly were: envious and petty creatures driven by greed, lust, and base impulses. They became violent and started taking things that didn’t belong to them, often by force. Dissatisfaction grew within the empire and it became obvious that something needed to be done about humans. Out of the seven tribes, only one cherished Juphion and followed his teachings and principles. They were welcome to stay. The other six went west, and settled beyond the borders of the empire. People rejoiced when they left and prosperity and harmony soon returned. But it was not to last. They have spent the next thousand years building their kingdoms and hunting dragons. The crimes against order, balance and nature they have committed were numerous. But they didn’t stop there. Their greed was insatiable and very soon, they turned their ambition towards the empire.They meant to topple it from the very foundation, and what better way to do it than to kill our beloved emperor. The savage human horde entered the borders of our realm and started pillaging, rapin and burning. We answered in kind and the war raged for ten years.The tides turned many times until finally, it all came down to one final battle. It was in that battle that Herrion Sheppard, servant of Berion Highhill, earned the name Darkaxe once he slew the emperor with his giant black steel axe. The axe got the name Grimcleave and it had been Sheppard family heirloom for a long time before it was lost. Some say that it was the more zealous members of our people who stole it; for what purpose, i know not. After the fall of emperor Ayluin, the empire crumbled and we people were scattered across across the continent. Many of us lamented the fall of our great civilization, but we accepted that the world changed and that we must not lose hope for the better future. People understood that another open conflict with humans would mean the end of us as people. There were those who did not share these pacifistic views. They vowed to fight humans and end the Highhill bloodline. They also understood that they could never defeat humans in an open conflict. Therefore, they opted for a more subtle approach. After fleeing from humans for over fifty years, emperor Ayluin’s son, Talic decided that the only hope of surviving and retaliating against their pursuers was to hunde in the dark recesses of the earth. It was there that he formed the order of Stormborn. The ones who remained on the surface know little of Talic and his whereabouts.All we hear now are whispers and unsubstantiated gossip. I care little of these tales, for I am a chronicler, and chroniclers are solely interested in solid facts. I will end on the note of hope. A hope for a better tomorrow and the new dawn for our once great empire.