Jahkria (yah-KREE-ah)

The Dance of the Shanomle and the World

In the beginning Irdon created all things. All things He put into a peaceful sleep, for the seas and lands and all things were in unrest and turmoil, and He decreed it not yet ready for them. Thus, He made the Shanomle and put them in charge of the ordering of this new world. On the seventh day He rested and the Shanomle began their work on the eighth day. They set their hands into the lands and formed them and raised the mountains and calmed the sea, and Irdon guided them and showed them how things were to be. Their work was easy, for even if all things were soft and fresh and new, they were not chaotic, and everything was pliable and easily shaped, and the Shanomle saw the glory of their God and did many great works of strength and cunning, and the world of Kezoo became large and wonderful. This Era of the world was called the dance of the Shanomle and the world, and all was governed by Irdon, and He it was that guided this dance. And at the time appointed, when all things were slowing from this great dance, and becoming more composed, Irdon came and formed the throne of Arhan, and breathed and made the crystal Anchalanmen and set the throne upon in, and the glory of Irdon was in that crystal.

The Years of Content

Then Irdon awoke all the Free Peoples and appointed the Shanomle over them, each to a people, and four to the Men. To each He gave a kingdom to rule over and skills to learn and master. Thus, they entered into their kingdoms and dwelt there, and they were at peace. In this manner they remained for many long years, and they grew and prospered, each in their land, but they did not journey abroad, and they only knew the things which their fathers taught them. They made many things which legend speaks about, but all stories out of that far off time are faint and uncertain. Of each kind there awoke and the command of Irdon ten men* and ten women, and over time they multiplied into each a great nation. But the races did not intermingle, and their blood remained pure and of one race. Only the Shanomle met in council at this time, and unfrequently. Thus, this age went by, and all were happy.

The Years of Learning

In due time, Arhan, the Lord of all races, set forth his massagers to invite all the Lords of the Fives Peoples and their wives to a great feast. Now this was the first time any of these Lords had left their lands since they came to them after they awoke. They gathered many great persons from among their people and they set out over many leagues to come to the Kingdom of Arhan. With them came all the Shanomle, who lead them through the baren lands. After long travel all arrived and the feast was prepared. After the feast many things were decided among the Lords, but after several years they at last returned to their kingdoms. The Feast was named the Feast of the Beginning, for in that year they started counting the years, although incoherently. This year is year 1 of Jahkria in all calendars. After they returned, the Lords encouraged their people to journey and go abroad and learn the ways of other people. At this time many people set out and came to other peoples and became skilled in other trades. And many peoples intermixed, and new tribes and nations were born, skilled in the art of two crafts, or one created out of both. Years passed and the People soon mostly forgot the Former Years, and did not long for peace and quiet, but for roaming and learning new things and adventure. At this time men began learning the usage of arms and knights arose and preformed for the Lords, but always against beasts and birds and fish did they fight, and never against another man, for as yet no man had died. Thus, again the years passed, and the people grew ever greater, but they made not the like of the great things which they had made in their youth, for most became journeyers and stayed not in one place for long. The baren places outside of the 8 kingdoms began to blossom and grow rich from the work of many hands. But after many years, historians have said 4500, Haniran, the son of Darion, one of the ten Lords of the Mazorites, was lost, and there was a great search by many warriors and knights, but he was not found. After all came back to Darion emptyhanded, despair overcame him, and he cast himself into the sea, and died. In such manner did the first man die, and all grieved, and the Shanomle feared greatly, for these events foreboded ill to them, and even they searched for Haniran, but they could not find him.

The Years of Steadiness

After the death of Darion, the peoples began to gather into towns and cities and to settle down in their lives. Each city governed itself, and the villages around them followed them. Thus, many city-states came together and formed, and the people were strong and built great things, and the walls of the cities none could climb or assail in any way. At this time many men gathered around the Shanomle, and the Shanomle taught them and gave them the gift of magic, to use in the dark years which they foresaw. Thus, out of all races the Wizards came, and they proved very helpful in years to come. In those years also dark creatures began to appear. After some years they gathered in great force and assailed many villages, but strong knights came and defeated a great number of them. No man or woman was slain in this attack, although one man was wounded, so as yet no man's blood was spilled in death. The evil beasts never again gathered, but they slunk amid the shadows and waited, and many forest that had grown up in the Years of Learning became dark and dangerous. The knights who had played games before now went into the wild and hunted these beasts and kept them at bay. In these Years all was yet at peace and all were happy. And historians number the Years of Steadiness at 5700 years

The Years of Decline

As the years progressed the Lords began to show the age of years. This was strange to them, for as yet no man had felt the weariness of age. No man had grown weary, and none had felt the hurts of age, but now it began to come upon all people, beginning with the eldest among them, the Lords of the People, and slowly creeping upon the younger. But the Lords lived for many more years and ruled their people well. For they saw evil in this new weariness and drew their people together and built great walls around their cities and set guards upon them and at the gate they set gate wardens. Thus, they prepared for some evil which they foreboded. Yet all remained at peace, and their peoples multiplied in their cities and great craftsmen grew up and made beautiful things both inside the walls and without. The Lords of the people grew ever wearier, and foreboding grew more upon them, and they caused all men to be girt with a sword and trained in the use of it. When 1700 years had passed, and the Lords lay in their beds daily from weariness, a great host was seen marching down from the north upon the Kingdom of the Mazorites, named Galindar. Scouts were sent forth, who brought word that it was a great host of Ombors, of the type they called Manchets. And they said they had strong armor and long spears and were very strong. In total they counted 3500 of these, and many of the people of Galindar grew afraid. But many were the knights and warriors of the Lords, and they marched forth, 5500 in number, and came to meet the Orcs, as they had called them, meaning "Bad". Now these Orcs were not commpletely corrupt as those who followed them would be, and they still had wills of their own and apart from their masters. So, when the host of Galidar came to meet them, they saw that they were outnumbered and could but lose. The host of Galindar came and surrounded them, and they gave themselves up to the host and were led to Hishninar, the principal city of Galindar by the cost. After many years they became servants to many high people and unlearned the ways of war, but they died quickly. Many did not become servants and helpers and rebeled against their captors and were thrown into prisons, where they died after many years. And as yet none of the Free Peoples died at the hand of another. Now after 300 more years the Lords of all the peoples, who had woken up at the word of Irdon, began to die, and there was great mourning in the cities and Kingdoms of all peoples. One only lived passed the death of his comrades, and his name was Marensil, one of the Eldest, and father of 21 sons and daughters, who were Marensil II, Gardilon, Darninia, Hurd, Aldus, Ernold, Forness, Harna, Filia, Acinils, Juthia, Borth, Shadden, Marenio, Fifthia, Sectinia, Lartho, Nawsho, Tan, Twartie, and Galenthia. Many of these became Kings of cities in Tharandum, the Land of the Eldest, and they lived long under their father's rule. 4903 years after the coming of age and weariness, Acinils asked leave of his father to go on a long journey by ship to explore other lands. His father gave his leave and in the following year Acinils set sail with three ships. Onboard were 200 men well learned in sailing. After 25 years one of the ships returned with a crew of Orcs and none of the men who had set out with Acinils, and with him was a cloaked man, who they called Gargrin. Several days after the return feast, the Lord Marensil was found dead on his throne. It was clear that this was not natural, and many knights came to attempt to uncover who did this deed, and head among them was Acinils. But after many had failed to discover the man, Gargrin came to the knights and called aloud, "This murder of Lord Marensil was wrought by none other than Acinils, who came back with me. I attempted to dissuade him, but he could not listen to reason. He became like a beast and tried to kill me along with his father. Get him and put him to death; only then will this be amended." Then all the knights were quiet, and upon them a great awe fell. But Acinils drew his sword and flew at the Gargrin in a rage, but Gargrin dodged the stroke quickly and pinned Acinils to the wall with his bare hands. Then the kights were aroused from their awe and came and bound Acinils and led him away. Then Gargrin departed from that place and was never seen again in that city. The following day Acinils was put to death and when he drew his last breath, the Shanomle departed from the world and came to Irdon's side, and the throne of Arhan was taken up. Then Acinils' eldest brother, Marensil II, took up the Kingship and ruled over all Men and Elves and Dwarfs and Merfolk and Ombors. All the Years from the Feast of the Beginning to the death of Acinils in guess to be about 15,139 years. Thus ended the First Age, and the peace of that time was never again seen on the earth.