History

An attempt has been made to list these events in chronological order. Unknown dates aren’t listed, so that may cause certain items to be listed out of order. An assumption by the players is that when travelling via the Anvil of Time, that the numbers representing each door are chronological.

Mythology

There are several myths about the origin of kire. The most widely accepted is that the world was created by Gradon. Then the evil Ravos tried to destroy it. He failed, but he succeeded in corrupting it with his influence before Gradon annihilated him. Gradon sent his children down to try to repair the damage. Ravos’ daughter also came down to continue her father’s work.

A myth of creation

According to teachings, the world was created by Gradon. He sprinkled the world with the seeds of life. Most were simple seeds that gave rise to the many plants throughout the world. Others were more complex and gave rise to animals on land and in the sea.

This early life lived in happiness and all was peaceful. Then the evil of Ravos decended upon the world.  The corruption of this evil caused many of these creatures to turn evil. They destroyed each other and the life around them.

Gradon sent his children down to repair the damage. They choose to do so by taking some of their father's life seeds and altering them to give intellegence to new life forms.  These seeds became Humans, Elves, Fey, and other good creatures.  The new seeds were spread around the world.  The new creatures were given the teachings of the gods so they might heal the world around them.

Ravossa also took some seeds and gave them intellegence.  These seeds became Dragons, Drow, Orcs, and other dangerous creatures.  Ravossa spread these seeds to counter the efforts of Gradon's children.

Ancient Empires

Thassilon

Unfortunately, much of the lore about ancient Thassilon has been lost; what does remain has been gathered from barely legible carvings on the surviving monuments or extracted from the myths and oral traditions of seers and storytellers.

What is known about Thassilon is that it was a vast empire ruled by powerful wizards. The sheer size of the monuments they left behind testifies to their power, and the unnatural way many of these monuments have resisted erosion and the march of time testifies to their skill at magic.

Most sages place the height of the Thassilonian empire at 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Brodert Quink thinks the empire was even older—he suspects it collapsed no sooner than 10,000 years in the past.

Sihedron Star

The Sihedron Star seems to be one of the most important runes of Thassilon. The star itself is known as the “Sihedron Rune,” and signifies not only the seven virtues of rule (generally agreed among scholars to have been wealth, fertility, honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and rest), but the seven schools of magic recognized by Thassilon (divination magic was not held in high regard by the ancients). What is understood about Thassilon indicates that its leaders were far from virtuous, and the classic mortal sins (greed, lust, pride, gluttony, envy, wrath, and sloth) rose from corruptions of the Thassilonian virtues of rule. In any event, the Sihedron Rune was certainly a symbol of power, one that may well have stood for and symbolized the empire itself.

Runelords

At present, only two Runelords are known by the party, Karzoug and Alaznist.
Karzoug

Karzoug was the Runelord of Greed. While he was, himself, an Azlanti, he was a powerful man indeed—said to be the most gifted manipulator of Transmutation magic in all of Thassilon, and to have lived for hundreds of years. He ruled a region called Shalast, part of the ancient empire of Thassilon, over 10,000 years ago.

Karzoug’s armies were composed primarily of giants and who followed his every command—the giants were ruled by towering monsters known as rune giants, who were themselves runelord pawns. Karzoug counted other powerful creatures as his allies as well, such as horror beasts, eerie denizens from the nightmare realm of the King in Yellow, blood drinking outsiders known as scarlet walkers, and immense lamia harridans who towered over most giants.

Karzoug focused his magic on the school of transmutation, magic associated in Thassilonian times with the virtue of wealth. Under his rule, though, this virtue of rule became more associated with the sin of greed. Among the runelords, his mastery of greed magic was uncontested, yet in the schools of illusion and enchantment (related to the sins of pride and lust), his skills had atrophied greatly. Many believed that weapons infused with illusion and enchantment magic, known as "dominate weapons" would be particularly potent against Karzoug, yet no record of someone attacking the runelord with such a weapon exists within the library of Thassilon.

Karzoug warred with his neighbors, but none more so than against Alaznist, the Runelord of Wrath and ruler of Bakrakhan. Between their nations, along a ridge known as the Rasp, Karzoug built immense sentinel statues to watch over Bakrakhan, while Alaznist built towers called Hellfire Flumes to prevent Karzoug’s armies from invading. Citizens of both nations worried that Karzoug’s and Alaznist’s wars would soon escalate to the point where they could bring about the end of the world.

As Karzoug and Alaznist’s war intensified, and as other wars among other runelords threatened more than just their armies, the runelords devised methods in which they could escape the world, enter a state of suspended animation, or the like, so they could ride out cataclysms. In theory, their surviving minions would then waken them to reclaim their empires once the cataclysms had ended.

Zutha

The Runelord of Gluttony.

Geography

Gatash

The lands of Zutha.

In ancient Gatash, four noble houses counted themselves as senior amoung the aristocracy. Inib were wine makers and bakers. Gorryan were cheesemakers and butchers. Aanstring were confectioneries. Xerriock were cannibals.

Xin-Shalast

Xin-Shalast is a legendary lost city, rumored to be hidden somewhere in the Kodar Mountains. Stories hold that Xin-Shalast had gold streets and gemstone buildings, and say under the gaze of a mountain that could see.

None have yet discovered its location, but many have tried. Xin-Shalast was the capital city of an empire called Shalast, one of seven that comprised the ancient empire of Thassilon. Legend holds that Xin-Shalast lay at the headwaters of the sacred river Avah—which legends says lead to an earthly paradise. Unfortunately, no record of where this rever may have once flowed exists today, and most scholars believe the river itself to have been destroyed in some cataclysm.

Xin-Shalast was ruled by Runelord Karzoug, one of the rulers of the Thassilonian Empire. Rumor holds he built his palace above all of Golarion so he could look down on his domain as well as see unconquered lands to continually fuel his lust for more. The primary architects of the immense city were tribes of giants, themselves ruled by powerful beings known as rune giants.

The Spires of Xin-Shalast stands upon the mythical mountain called Mhar Massif, in a valley that lies at the headwaters of the River Avah. This mountain of legendary proportions pierces the skies and is said to be the highest peak in the entire range of stupendously inhospitable mountains.

Mhar Massif is said to serve as a bridge to strange realms beyond Kire—notably, to the nightmare realm of the King in Yellow. The connections with the nightmare realm were said to have infused the region around the peak with dangerous eldritch and otherworldly energies.

Juncert

In ages past there was the empire of Juncert that spanned much of the continent. They created many great works in their reign. Then it is said that they discovered an enemy that they were afraid of. Soon after, the empire was destroyed in a series of devastating earthquakes and other acts of god. The enemy that caused this was never discovered, and they have never appeared since.

Melenor

After the Juncert civilization disappeared, there was a hundred years of anarchy before the dwarves created their empire named Melenor. They were prolific builders, and created many great works of engineering. These ancient dwarves didn’t seem to be great with construction in the wilderness. Many of the roads they made headed towards nowhere, and all eventually stop suddenly. Nowadays, dwarves seem to have no trouble with roads, and get insulted if it is ever implied that they did.

The Dwarven Empire fell just as swiftly as the Juncert. An army of demons appeared and over the course of a year, destroyed all that the dwarves had created, before disappearing themselves.

The Present Age

0 AY-The Sword in the Stone: The empire of Archstedt was founded nearly half a millennia ago by its first king, Ambrick. There was a sword imbedded into a large rock. It was said that whoever could draw the sword out of the stone would be the new king. Many wise and noble knights attempted to do so, but only Ambrick, the page of a great knight, was finally able to. He founded his empire in Stadoric and started most of the traditions and laws of the country.

Circa 398 AY-Barbarians destroy Dagger Rock: Humans and other good folk from Archstedt settled Dagger Rock long ago, made peace with barbarians of Crescent Moon, and all enjoyed a time of plenty. But the people of Dagger Rock eventually betrayed the tribe, which united with a band of Orcs to drive out the intruders.

Circa 449 AY-Rise of Knights of the Fury: Fifty years ago, a knighthood, the Fury, has started to regain popularity. Within the armed forces of Archstedt, there have been a growing number of people becoming members of this order.

466 AY-Civilization brought back to Caliban valley: Adventurers led by a monk named Oda helped push back the Orcs and people once more moved into the area and settled in Dagger Rock.

468 AY-Oda founds monastery: After his success against the Orcs, Oda established a monastery to Zaard within the Caliban valley.

483 AY-Ambrick XIV is crowned: A new king of Archstedt was crowned.

494 AY-The Late Unpleasantness: A madman stalked the streets of L'Trel, killing dozens. Known as Chopper, the killer’s month-long terror ended bloodily when an eccentric local artisan was revealed as the murderer and killed during his attempted capture. Adding to the pain, less than a month later the local chapel burned to the ground in a conflagration that nearly consumed the town’s northern half and left the local priest and his daughter dead.

498 AY-Raensia is invaded: After a long period of peace, the country of Raensia was suddenly invaded. It wasn’t a true invasion involving armies and battles. To the general population it happened overnight. One day the queen was in control, then the next day there was an announcement by a man in black armor that the Goddess was now ruling the country.

498 AY, October 15-Adventuring party forms in Dagger Rock: A group of three people gathered together in the Dagger Rock and started to adventure around the Caliban valley

499 AY-Caliban valley “civilized”: King Ambrick issues a decree that the Caliban valley is to be considered civilized. This is just a technicality used for tax purposes.

499 AY, June 4-Explosion in L'Trel: An explosion happens on a hill overlooking L'Trel causing a rain of fire that burns a great portion of the city. This brings together a group of people who join the military.

People of Legend

Getral Jivas

During the early years of Archstedt there came the hero Getral Jivas. He reportedly slew a dragon that was threatening the southern border, and thereby allowed the borders to be expanded that way. He helped the secret police ferret out an undead horror that was trying to run Stadoric from behind the scenes. He slew it in single battle.

Lioshand

Lioshand is the greatest ancestral hero of the elves. They continually tell stories about him.