[Gye'ron Val Oriden]

’Over the past few centuries there has been a branching within Kemite society. Two entirely different schools of thought have evolved. One follows the direct path laid down by our forefathers at the beginning of out existence when the most wise and knowledgeable Orod, God of all Humanity, placed the Great Mother Keme within this world. The other is a branch; the sapling, which stole the nutrients from the parent tree and allowed it an agonizingly slow death. The older generations are all but gone now and thusly so has the mother tree fallen. Young and vigorous Kemites have discarded the old ways in favour of the new; they scream out fables of honour and tradition yet know not that in truth they are turning their backs on what they so greatly desire. To accommodate the waves of reform new histories are being written, new legends, new songs. My people are no longer who they once were…the demons of the other races and species have invaded our culture, how we have failed to follow Orod’s logical path.’

--Found on a tablet written by Head of Council of the Learned, O’tol Ju Ye, 1504

The truth shall be manifest within these pages for all those who wish to know it. Chronicled shall be both the original histories and the events, which led to the growth of Aslanism amongst the Kemites. Perhaps, with the revelations herein, eventual salvation may be found for my people.

Orod, the all-knowing, created the Birth Mother Keme to bear the fruits from which the pinnacle of Humanity would derive. The ancient tales tell of our Mother giving birth to child after child for several months without end as Orod, the most wise, nurtured her and cared for her children; the beginnings of a new race. In the very beginning our lives were short and consisted of eating and breeding until such a time that Orod, the ever-logical, deemed our population large enough to sustain itself, until such a time that He felt us ready for our destiny.

He whose mind knows no limits gave the Kemites these simple commandments: “Learn all ye may from this world, fill your minds with knowledge and do not stray from the Golden Path of Logic,” “Create ye a culture filled with art and wonders to awe the Gods,” “Respect and honour your brethren at all times,” “Beware the Path of Darkness, beware those who hold the power for naught but destruction, beware those who would look from the outside and lust for all thy glory, beware the ignorant.” It was by these laws we governed ourselves and each time we strayed Orod punished us mercilessly for our most evil of crimes.

Small fishing villages sprouted along the southern coasts of the western Medonian continent as my people began to establish settlements, immediately skipping the nomadic periods all other Human races endured. We built strong and reliable craft to venture past the sandy shorelines, to discover areas of vast abundance and all the fish one could ever desire. The wonders of the ocean were not enough to satisfy our curiosity so we ventured inland, exploring uncharted territory. The lands were for the most part uninhabited so we worried not about outside interference. Over time permanent farming communities were established. Crops of rice, tea, and wheat were brought to harvest every fall. We discovered the usefulness of beasts for not only framing but also transportation. This discovery revolutionized our agriculture, construction, economic, and artistic systems. There were more jobs to be had, food was in abundance, materials could be quickly delivered from vast distances, our population boomed. Stone and wood sculpting became popular crafts. These new tradesmen were given status equal to that of the actors and painters, our ranks of artisans swelled.

In the first Age of Culture gigantic cities were built along the shores, bustling ports that were rich with wealth and culture. Beautiful gardens full of roses and lavenders, streams, bridges, waterfalls, ponds filled with fish, and tress housing the ever-gracious humming birds were scattered throughout our cities. Large and ornate granite statues in tribute to Orod and Keme could be found surrounding every temple. Statues of famous poets and scientists lined the main roads of our budding kingdom. Beatific red wooden buildings with carvings of mystical sea and wind dragons covered the port cities. Out farming settlements were much more primitive with simple mud brick or sandstone walls. The greatest pride of my people was the Palace of Reflection; it was the epitome of Kemite culture. In the center of this vast complex was the Golden Tower of Orod, a holy building in which the entirety of our knowledge was stored along with our most stunning works of art.

After nearly a millennia of cultural development and history our people once again felt a burning desire to explore Telath and learn its secrets as Orod, the great prophet, had commanded us. Using animals with long, powerful legs, sleek bodies, and hair growing from their heads, necks, and rear ends we sent riders across the lands. Eventually we received reports from the north of lands that were covered in hard water and white dust, which fell from the skies. In the east we encountered a thick forest that we dared not desecrate with our presence. To the west we found lush jungles, teeming with vibrant and exotic life. Our explorers told us of odd plants and strange new animals. Naturally our scientists couldn’t help but be curious about these new lands. Many of our most brilliant minds traveled to the jungle lands discovering many new and useful herbs. Medicines were found that could cure everything ranging from insomnia to some of our deadliest known diseases. We could not help but delve further into this odd place, our curiosity never quenched. A great city of unimaginable beauty was built on the jungles edge, we were eager to claim the exotic place as ours.

At the very same time the priests of Orod who had built a temple on the edge of the eastern forest made our first contact with another sentient species. We encountered a majestic race, which called themselves the Fae. They wielded powers in comparison to the Gods, leading to our belief that they were angels of Aetheria. The Fae told us that we should not enter the Forest of Light and taking it as a message from Orod we gave our word that we would never step foot within the forests domain and that we would never allow it harm. This oath was not one lightly given, for even then honour was of high importance within Kemite society, and to lie was a great dishonour. We would find that it was a regrettable decision to give our word to the Fae people.

After having such a peaceful and humbling encounter with the Fae we were eager to discover other sentient life on Telath, specifically on the Medonian continent. Our wish was granted to us far too quickly in a very unpleasant way. The Kemite would forever lament stepping foot within the western jungle lands.

The Saurid were a violent and ruthless people, entirely unhappy about our presence within their home, what they had claimed as their Empire. When the Council of the Learned had first heard of this new species of sentient Lizards they were eager to talk to these people, certain the first reports of the new concept of killing had simply been a misunderstanding. A large expedition of scholars, priests and artists were sent into the jungles to communicate with the Saurid. They were almost all slaughtered and those who escaped the Great Massacre of 1514 were mentally instable for the rest of their lives. Stories trickled in of our settlements within the jungle being destroyed.

My people knew nothing of warfare, our only option was to turn to the Fae and be for help. They stated that they could not become directly involved but they did tell us of weapons, of how they were used and the various methods of their construction. Quickly we built forges, which produced swords, bows, and pole arms, many of which are the predecessors of weapons famous throughout eastern Medonia to this date.

We knew nothing more than what these new inventions of iron and wood were meant to do, kill. It was the beginning of the end for our people’s way of life set down by Orod in millennia past. Many said that Orod had given us warning of these barbarians. The mass interpretation of the line, “Beware the path of darkness,” was that it signified the western jungles. The line, “beware those who hold the power for naught but destruction, beware the ignorant,” was believed to speak of the Saurians and their lack of culture. A few devious and politically minded individuals played upon the general populaces fear and called for a holy war to not only ensure our survival but also the destruction of the abomination of creation, the Saurid.

An undisciplined and untrained army, which would more accurately be described as a mindless mob was assembled and set off towards the jungle lands. We believed that victory was assured, an ‘army’ of 20 000 Kemite ‘soldiers’ had been assembled and with Orod’s favour we ignorantly believed we could not lose. The Kemites had acted too slowly and in the era of 1525 when our legions reached our once great jungle city they were greeted with smoldering rubble and mutilated bodies, not one of them a Saurids. Enraged the inexperienced Supreme Commander ordered his entire army into the jungle with the objective of murdering every last Saurian for their crimes against Orod’s chosen.

Every single Kemite sent into that jungle died and it is unlikely that the Lizard people took any losses worth mentioning. After an era with no word from our supposedly invincible warriors, the weakening Council of the Learned sent scouts to investigate and report what had happened. They found 20 000 rotting Kemite bodies hung on poles jutting out from the ground. A mass panic ensued; the relatively new Order of the Sword claimed that the Saurid would destroy all of the Kemite Empire if action were not taken. They said that another army must be raised; a better equipped and trained army. The Council of the Learned had become too weak in the past eras; it no longer had the power to stamp out the radical thoughts of the Order of the Sword. The Council believed that if we simply left the jungle lands alone there would be no threat, however they also knew that the Kemite had become dependant upon the herbs of the jungle, without them disease would foster in the cities and villages.

In an effort to avoid further bloodshed the Council sent out riders to find a place that our people could resettle in. Knowing that we couldn’t go through the eastern Forest of Light the riders decided to attempt to travel around it, this lead to our encounter with the Lamia in the era of 1528. These people made the Saurids seem gentle, fortunately it was deemed that their lands were too distant for them to present a threat, it was however clear that we would not be able to reach any lands that might lie beyond the Forest of Light. Our focus was shifted to the north where we encountered nomadic tribes of Humans, barbarians in comparison to us.

The Council of the Learned hid the new information from the general populace, fearing that it would only bolster the growing power of the Order of the Sword. The Council ordered the constructions of one hundred of the greatest sea vessels ever designed by the Kemite race with the purpose of finding allies and new lands to settle. Were suitable territories to be found the vessels were not to return. Each ship was laden with our collective knowledge and all the supplies deemed necessary for building a settlement. The crews were all devout Orodites and completely faithful to the Council. The fleet set out at the beginning of the era 1552, the last hope of all those faithful to Orod.

Six eras after our contact with the Lamia our new army was prepared to eradicate the Saurid. We had doubled the size of our forces this time, 40 000 soldiers were marched off towards the jungle lands. From the battle reports our new general wasn’t so foolish as to plunge his army into the jungles. Instead he set fire to it and our troops waited for the Saurids response. They did not have to wait long. Saurian warriors engaged our legions within two brightenings of the initial burning. The battle raged on for nearly two and a half brightenings, the balance shifting back and forth. Each time one side pushed forward the other would fight back all the harder. At last our warriors struck down the remaining Saurid. Bloody bodies covered miles of charred jungle lands. 207 soldiers turned home in victory, marching through mud red with the blood of the fallen. These 207 souls formed the first of what would be known as the Darui’Torek.

Upon the return of the soldiers it was revealed that the Council of the Learned had discovered we were surrounded by danger. The Order of the Sword immediately took advantage of this and proclaimed that our faith in Orod was false, that the Council had been feeding lies to the Kemite for well over a millennia. For the most part the people rejected this idea, until of course the jungle medicines ran out and old diseases began to spread again. The Order spread propaganda that Aslan was punishing us for turning our backs on Him. They said that we must all swear an oath to the Prince of Aetheria.

For the next 20 eras religious bickering and political maneuvering took place until 1555 when the Order seized control of the government. We Orodites refused to take up arms against our own brethren, such an unfortunate decision that was.

In that same era the government was entirely overhauled. No longer were we ruled by a senate, instead a feudocratic reign began lead by an Emperor, the most powerful of the Clan Lords. No longer were the Kemite unified, we were divided by the ambitions of warrior kings. The Darui’Torek was meant to be impartial to clan politics, as the Emperor was meant to be, but the Darui’Torek served the Emperor and the Emperor served his own power.

During the era of 1559 our first Emperor, Yang Zhuan, set off to conquer the Saurian Empire, to finish the job he had begun in 1534. He led an army of unheard proportions, 100 000 soldiers. Emperor Yang proceeded with the same plan that he had employed two and a half decades earlier. He set fire to the jungle and waited for the Saurid to come to him, and come they did, 20 000 strong. It is told that the battle wore on for over a cycle and that in the end only a quarter of our forces remained. During the battle the Emperor had been grievously wounded. Upon the brink of death and in a state of disillusion he ordered the rest of his forces into the jungle to eradicate the Lizard people. For an entire season our soldiers fought the Saurid. No matter how many acres of jungle they burnt there always seemed to be more that needed burning, no matter how many of their enemies fell beneath their swords more needed to be killed. When the Emperor finally died his heir and Supreme Commander, Ryu Zhuan, turned back with the remaining thirteen men. Only two of those men reached the Kemite capital with the heir apparent.

With total defeat and an inexperienced Emperor civil war was sure to follow Ryu’s return in 1560. With the young Emperors clan weakened from their recent defeat many of the most wretched of the Clan Lords sensed an opportunity to take power for themselves. Not one of them had anticipated the advent of loyalist clans. In that very era war erupted within the Kemite Empire. From the beginning the loyalists were hard pressed to find victory but not once did they suffer a resounding defeat. For every loyalist that fell two of their enemies died with them.

By 1564 the loyalist forces were confined to six port cities and it seemed that by the end of the era none but those in the capital would remain. It was during this time that three of the ships the Council had sent out a decade before returned, bringing weapons of Kemite design, which the Elves, creatures of a far off land, had refined. They were far superior in design and construction than anything the rebels possessed. The combination of superior troops and weaponry turned the tides of the war. The most notable armaments were the No-Dachi employed by shock troops and the Dai-Kyu cavalry bow. Warriors wielding the No-Dachi would break enemy lines; more often than not causing the enemy to flee where upon Dai-Kyu cavalry would harry the retreating soldiers, shooting them down from a distance. Victory came swiftly to the Imperial forces, though having greater numbers the rebels could not hold against Ryu Zhuan’s loyalist forces. The now hardened Emperor personally led his warriors in the last battle of the civil war, in which, he achieved a resounding victory over the last remaining clan, the one that had lead the rebellion, Vhali R’tol. All of the loyalist clans were awarded the lands seized from the traitors, the largest land grants going to Draeg R’tol and Qishk R’tol the two most valiant loyalist clans.

Five hundred eras of peace ensued as the domestic infrastructure of the Empire was rebuilt and art was once again encouraged to flourish, specifically in the realms of song and philosophy. Kemite society flourished in the second Age of Culture. It seemed a grand future was in order until the barbarian invasions of 2041 when the northern Humans, now known to the Kemite as the Medonians, began to raid and pillage our border cities and farming settlements. The sixth feudocratic ruler and first Empress of the Kemite Empire, Mei Li Zhuan, responded hesitantly. There was a great divide amongst the Clan Lords, some favoured buying off the invaders while others favoured annihilating them. The Empress chose the latter. After near one million of my people had been killed the Imperial government finally responded with its entire army. Our warriors found it difficult to engage the barbarians as they fought much the same as the Saurid had within their jungles. The vast majority of the Imperial forces were buried in the earth when the barbarians were finally repelled in 2048. Two and a half million citizens and three hundred six thousand soldiers had died by the end of the war.

The combined anger of the people and ambition of the restored Vhali R’tol proved enough to displace the Halda R’tol Dynasty. A new Vhali Emperor was placed on the Kemite throne, beginning the end of the Kemite Empire. For the most part the people wanted revenge on the northern barbarians and the new Emperor Sa’nah wanted to extend his power on the continent. Thus in 2051 did the Age of Conquest begin.