Post by OMEGALOMANIAC on May 6, 2012 17:10:36 GMT -5
WELCOME TO THE LANDS OF TOREN
this is our history
THE OUTBREAK
The year was 1113. The race of man was flourishing, warring against each other and further invading the animal kingdom. They had begun making slaves of the creatures, 'domesticating' them as they called it. Dogs became hunting companions, horses became pack animals - everything became food. Unfortunately, for man, their untimely demise was at hand. When the first few people began falling ill - they thought nothing of it. But they should have, for not long after the first deaths, many more became sick. They would experience headaches, nausea, blurred vision - becoming weaker and weaker until they eventually died a terrible, slow death - bleeding out of their nostrils, ears, mouths and even eyes. It took six mere months for the disease to completely rid the world of mankind. But the disease didn't stop there. The 'domesticated' animals were next to go, as well as all the smaller creatures. It seemed that their closeness to the humans, as well as their size, heavily influenced their infection rate. The larger creatures; the wolves, elk, bears and wild horses were slowly becoming infected too, and it was then that they realized they either had to leave their homes - or die along with man.
THE ESCAPE
It was a large Andalusian stallion that finally made the choice to leave. Numenor was his name, and he collected as many as he could in the short time that he had. Among those who chose to follow him were his own family, a herd of elk and deer, six bears and two packs of wolves - who grudgingly agreed to let a horse lead them to safety. Leaving their homeland was a massive decision, especially to those leaving their loved ones behind - but it was a choice that, in the end, saved them.
THE DISCOVERY
For months they traveled, searching for a haven free of the disease - but they found only death. In a last desperate attempt, Numenor turned to the oceans. He had long before seen a place where the ocean bed made a shallow path for miles, but he had never had the guts, nor reason, to follow that path. Now was the time. In single file, those crazy enough to do it began to cross the ocean. The rocky ridge below the surface that carried them was thin, and in some places very sharp. Ocean water became their only means of hydration after the first day. They lost an elderly bitch and a young foal, but nothing would deter Numenor from the path. There had to be something on the other end... There just had to. Relentlessly he pushed the group forward - and finally, on the second day - land came into sight. With renewed strength and hope - the group moved faster, reaching the land within hours. And there - they found paradise. A land untouched by death and the disease. A haven. Safety. They named this land Toren.
THE PACT.
The leaders of the two packs, Odin and Ra'zul, were so grateful that Numenor had saved their packs that they swore allegiance to the horses, and promised that from that day onwards, wolves would hunt only the smaller game out of respect. Together, they agreed to live in peace with one another and to local inhabitants.
THE BETRAYAL.
It was a sad day when Numenor's daughter, Anouk, found out that her mate had taken a new lover. Her and Sirius had been together for years, and when she found out about his betrayal, she fled in a blind rage - into the East, into a swampy forest so thick nobody but her subservient mares dared to follow. When this news spread it was no surprise that one by one, more females started joining Anouk - species of all shapes and sizes wandered into the swamp to find her. And so the first sect of Toren was formed. A cruel, male-hating sect comprised of only females. They became ruthless and feral, and soon none dared to go near the East.
THE RETURN.
As all good things do, their security too came to an end. Other began making their way to the haven - and one deer, in particular, happened to bring the disease with her. Luckily, it was not as ferocious as it had been with man - but it was there, ever eminent. The very thing they had fled from had found them again. Numenor himself became infected and passed away soon thereafter - bringing Anouk herself out of the depths of her land in order to say her final farewell to her father. Many others died too, and those who remained healthy were suppressed in a constant fear. Panic arose amid the local creatures as they had never before experienced such a ruthless and invisible killer.
THE REMEDY.
With the disease came a foul smelling plant - a hideous act of nature with sticky black flowers that reeked worse than rotting flesh. Many recalled it from the homelands, remembering it to be a nuisance at the time of the first outbreak. Making a connection between the two - one brave wolf decided that in order to try and save his own life, he would eat from the plant. In a miraculous turn of events - it worked. He was healed of his ailments, and felt anew - even better than he had before. But his health was short lived - for after a week the illness returned. Only the sticky black poison could make him feel well again. And so it was discovered - there was a cure, but it was only temporary and had to be taken often.
THE AFTER-EFFECTS.
Those who agreed to take the cure soon began experiencing oddities about them. Some found that they could manipulate the small dew drops on the leaves. Some began seeing the spirits of the dead. From all over Toren there came claims of strange and wonderful powers that accompanied the cure. For some reason, the disease had brought with it something wondrous, something untamed and dangerous - but captivating none the less. Some called these powers gifts from the heavens - while others firmly believed they were nothing more than pure evil. Tensions between species began to increase, the peace in Toren only a thin mask now.
THE CLASSIFICATIONS.
There was much debate on what was causing the mysterious 'powers' - but of course, none could come to an agreement. Some argued that they were mutations caused by the disease, while some claimed that they were a result of regular consumption of the putrid Carnicula plant. In the end they agreed to simply name the most notable classes, an idea that seemed to soothe the fanatics somewhat - at least now they had something to call them. The Elementals were the larger group - creatures able to manipulate specific elements - water, flames, some even the very ground they stood on. Next came the Mages - those who developed some kind of affinity for the arcane, and began dreaming of words and phrases unheard of in this lifetime. The Seers, somewhat similar to the Mages, were able to see past the constraints of normal sight - able to catch glimpses of the past and future; able to commune with those on the other side. These Seers were not to be mistaken with the Dreamwalkers - who had the ability to enter the minds of others without permission, especially if their victim was asleep. Lastly, the Healers - who were the least hated among the infected - these few were able to heal others just through touch, their very presence allowing plants to flourish around them. While these mutations seemed like some kind of fairy tale - they were anything but. Those dealing with them were also dealing with the disease - confused and completely in the dark about what was happening to their own bodies. The 'powers' were no walk in the park - incredibly difficult to control, let alone master. And, as one would expect when dealing with something that separates one from another, groups of purist uninfected began to form - unwilling to accept the diseased, unwilling to coexist with them.
THE HYBRIDS.
The disease was not done there. While none knew how cross-contamination was happening - it was, indeed, happening - and it was becoming physically apparent. Wolves and foxes started growing small horns, markings and pelts were crossing the species barrier - and most notably of all - creatures born of the infected were being born... different. It was theorized that the disease was splicing the DNA of the original carrier with the new host, and that this was becoming more and more of an issue as time went on. Doe's started birthing young whose back legs sported paws instead of hooves - one wolf pup who was born with small growths discovered, as he grew, that they were a full set of antlers. This did not help the growing divide between species, parents disowning their young - brothers and sisters turning against each other.
THE PRESENT.
The year is now 1126. The disease is still spreading. While some cling to peace, others wait in the shadows hungry for war - desperate to rid their world of the unearthly creatures they cannot comprehend. Because of this, certain animals who've contracted the disease are trying their utmost to hide that fact, to remain under the radar and out of trouble - which is not easy while dealing with a life-threatening illness and all that comes with it. Those who can't hide it are under fire, hiding out in the caves and forests, just trying to make sense of what is happening to them. Only one thing is sure - the peace will not last forever. It never does.
The year was 1113. The race of man was flourishing, warring against each other and further invading the animal kingdom. They had begun making slaves of the creatures, 'domesticating' them as they called it. Dogs became hunting companions, horses became pack animals - everything became food. Unfortunately, for man, their untimely demise was at hand. When the first few people began falling ill - they thought nothing of it. But they should have, for not long after the first deaths, many more became sick. They would experience headaches, nausea, blurred vision - becoming weaker and weaker until they eventually died a terrible, slow death - bleeding out of their nostrils, ears, mouths and even eyes. It took six mere months for the disease to completely rid the world of mankind. But the disease didn't stop there. The 'domesticated' animals were next to go, as well as all the smaller creatures. It seemed that their closeness to the humans, as well as their size, heavily influenced their infection rate. The larger creatures; the wolves, elk, bears and wild horses were slowly becoming infected too, and it was then that they realized they either had to leave their homes - or die along with man.
THE ESCAPE
It was a large Andalusian stallion that finally made the choice to leave. Numenor was his name, and he collected as many as he could in the short time that he had. Among those who chose to follow him were his own family, a herd of elk and deer, six bears and two packs of wolves - who grudgingly agreed to let a horse lead them to safety. Leaving their homeland was a massive decision, especially to those leaving their loved ones behind - but it was a choice that, in the end, saved them.
THE DISCOVERY
For months they traveled, searching for a haven free of the disease - but they found only death. In a last desperate attempt, Numenor turned to the oceans. He had long before seen a place where the ocean bed made a shallow path for miles, but he had never had the guts, nor reason, to follow that path. Now was the time. In single file, those crazy enough to do it began to cross the ocean. The rocky ridge below the surface that carried them was thin, and in some places very sharp. Ocean water became their only means of hydration after the first day. They lost an elderly bitch and a young foal, but nothing would deter Numenor from the path. There had to be something on the other end... There just had to. Relentlessly he pushed the group forward - and finally, on the second day - land came into sight. With renewed strength and hope - the group moved faster, reaching the land within hours. And there - they found paradise. A land untouched by death and the disease. A haven. Safety. They named this land Toren.
THE PACT.
The leaders of the two packs, Odin and Ra'zul, were so grateful that Numenor had saved their packs that they swore allegiance to the horses, and promised that from that day onwards, wolves would hunt only the smaller game out of respect. Together, they agreed to live in peace with one another and to local inhabitants.
THE BETRAYAL.
It was a sad day when Numenor's daughter, Anouk, found out that her mate had taken a new lover. Her and Sirius had been together for years, and when she found out about his betrayal, she fled in a blind rage - into the East, into a swampy forest so thick nobody but her subservient mares dared to follow. When this news spread it was no surprise that one by one, more females started joining Anouk - species of all shapes and sizes wandered into the swamp to find her. And so the first sect of Toren was formed. A cruel, male-hating sect comprised of only females. They became ruthless and feral, and soon none dared to go near the East.
THE RETURN.
As all good things do, their security too came to an end. Other began making their way to the haven - and one deer, in particular, happened to bring the disease with her. Luckily, it was not as ferocious as it had been with man - but it was there, ever eminent. The very thing they had fled from had found them again. Numenor himself became infected and passed away soon thereafter - bringing Anouk herself out of the depths of her land in order to say her final farewell to her father. Many others died too, and those who remained healthy were suppressed in a constant fear. Panic arose amid the local creatures as they had never before experienced such a ruthless and invisible killer.
THE REMEDY.
With the disease came a foul smelling plant - a hideous act of nature with sticky black flowers that reeked worse than rotting flesh. Many recalled it from the homelands, remembering it to be a nuisance at the time of the first outbreak. Making a connection between the two - one brave wolf decided that in order to try and save his own life, he would eat from the plant. In a miraculous turn of events - it worked. He was healed of his ailments, and felt anew - even better than he had before. But his health was short lived - for after a week the illness returned. Only the sticky black poison could make him feel well again. And so it was discovered - there was a cure, but it was only temporary and had to be taken often.
THE AFTER-EFFECTS.
Those who agreed to take the cure soon began experiencing oddities about them. Some found that they could manipulate the small dew drops on the leaves. Some began seeing the spirits of the dead. From all over Toren there came claims of strange and wonderful powers that accompanied the cure. For some reason, the disease had brought with it something wondrous, something untamed and dangerous - but captivating none the less. Some called these powers gifts from the heavens - while others firmly believed they were nothing more than pure evil. Tensions between species began to increase, the peace in Toren only a thin mask now.
THE CLASSIFICATIONS.
There was much debate on what was causing the mysterious 'powers' - but of course, none could come to an agreement. Some argued that they were mutations caused by the disease, while some claimed that they were a result of regular consumption of the putrid Carnicula plant. In the end they agreed to simply name the most notable classes, an idea that seemed to soothe the fanatics somewhat - at least now they had something to call them. The Elementals were the larger group - creatures able to manipulate specific elements - water, flames, some even the very ground they stood on. Next came the Mages - those who developed some kind of affinity for the arcane, and began dreaming of words and phrases unheard of in this lifetime. The Seers, somewhat similar to the Mages, were able to see past the constraints of normal sight - able to catch glimpses of the past and future; able to commune with those on the other side. These Seers were not to be mistaken with the Dreamwalkers - who had the ability to enter the minds of others without permission, especially if their victim was asleep. Lastly, the Healers - who were the least hated among the infected - these few were able to heal others just through touch, their very presence allowing plants to flourish around them. While these mutations seemed like some kind of fairy tale - they were anything but. Those dealing with them were also dealing with the disease - confused and completely in the dark about what was happening to their own bodies. The 'powers' were no walk in the park - incredibly difficult to control, let alone master. And, as one would expect when dealing with something that separates one from another, groups of purist uninfected began to form - unwilling to accept the diseased, unwilling to coexist with them.
THE HYBRIDS.
The disease was not done there. While none knew how cross-contamination was happening - it was, indeed, happening - and it was becoming physically apparent. Wolves and foxes started growing small horns, markings and pelts were crossing the species barrier - and most notably of all - creatures born of the infected were being born... different. It was theorized that the disease was splicing the DNA of the original carrier with the new host, and that this was becoming more and more of an issue as time went on. Doe's started birthing young whose back legs sported paws instead of hooves - one wolf pup who was born with small growths discovered, as he grew, that they were a full set of antlers. This did not help the growing divide between species, parents disowning their young - brothers and sisters turning against each other.
THE PRESENT.
The year is now 1126. The disease is still spreading. While some cling to peace, others wait in the shadows hungry for war - desperate to rid their world of the unearthly creatures they cannot comprehend. Because of this, certain animals who've contracted the disease are trying their utmost to hide that fact, to remain under the radar and out of trouble - which is not easy while dealing with a life-threatening illness and all that comes with it. Those who can't hide it are under fire, hiding out in the caves and forests, just trying to make sense of what is happening to them. Only one thing is sure - the peace will not last forever. It never does.
