Stormherald History
B.A. = Before Adeodatus, A.E.D. = After Elder Drakes
Origins of the Stormheralds [??? B.A. - 1 A.E.D.]
The First Lady of the Spire [274 A.E.D.]
Modern Day [503 A.E.D. Onwards]
The First Lady of the Spire [274 A.E.D.]
Modern Day [503 A.E.D. Onwards]
Stormherald history is pending a major expansion and rewrite to clarify the timeline of technological advancement in the Realm.
The Origins of the Stormheralds [??? B.A. - 1 A.E.D.]
Like nearly all other nations of the Realm, the stormheralds were once under the tyranny of the Elder Drakes. But, after the Night of the Red Moons destroyed them, the stormheralds were liberated, even if the Moon Sister’s curse devastated their numbers.
In the years following, they formed small, nomadic groups, following storms across the mountains and deserts of their homeland. Their appearance wherever thunder could be heard quickly earned them the name of ‘stormheralds’ from their neighbouring nations, a title that stuck.
This more peaceful period was not to last, for, fifteen years after the fall of the Elder Drakes, the moonvipers spread across the Realm in their stead. They had conquered much of Theavia and now turned their attention to the peoples of Cyr. The stormheralds did not yet have the numbers to resist the incursion and could do little, at the time, to stop the moonvipers from building cities of stone along the hidden oases of the Thundercrack Cascades.
The interior deserts were, however, far too hot and dry for the moonvipers to call their own, and those stormheralds who wanted nothing to do with them fled deep into the dunes. Most, however, were happy to move to the vast stone structures that the moonvipers had raised and studied their civilization with intense curiosity.
Things stayed like this for many years. The moonvipers had been proven weak following their conquests, with both the windwyrms, sundrakes and fireworms successfully breaking off. It seemed like it was the right time to drive them out of their territory, and in 46 A.E.D, the stormheralds found a powerful ally - Ironbrook. The first Societies were formed with their help that year - the Society of Power and the Society of Engineers - mixing their natural lightning abilities with machinery to create weapons and other technology.
The members of these Societies showed off their new inventions to the moonvipers quite happily and made it clear that if they did not leave on their own, then they would be pushed out. After what had occurred with the fireworms, the moonvipers of the Thundercrack Cascades did not want another massacre and abandoned their cities to return to the Serpent Delta.
The stormheralds moved into the empty cities, bringing their new technology with them. They expanded and adapted the stone structures to better suit themselves. Despite their aid, the new Societies decided to keep Ironbrook at arm’s length, perhaps nervous that they might attempt to build an empire the same way the moonvipers had, even if this meant that collaboration slowly died and became non-existent.
In the years following, they formed small, nomadic groups, following storms across the mountains and deserts of their homeland. Their appearance wherever thunder could be heard quickly earned them the name of ‘stormheralds’ from their neighbouring nations, a title that stuck.
This more peaceful period was not to last, for, fifteen years after the fall of the Elder Drakes, the moonvipers spread across the Realm in their stead. They had conquered much of Theavia and now turned their attention to the peoples of Cyr. The stormheralds did not yet have the numbers to resist the incursion and could do little, at the time, to stop the moonvipers from building cities of stone along the hidden oases of the Thundercrack Cascades.
The interior deserts were, however, far too hot and dry for the moonvipers to call their own, and those stormheralds who wanted nothing to do with them fled deep into the dunes. Most, however, were happy to move to the vast stone structures that the moonvipers had raised and studied their civilization with intense curiosity.
Things stayed like this for many years. The moonvipers had been proven weak following their conquests, with both the windwyrms, sundrakes and fireworms successfully breaking off. It seemed like it was the right time to drive them out of their territory, and in 46 A.E.D, the stormheralds found a powerful ally - Ironbrook. The first Societies were formed with their help that year - the Society of Power and the Society of Engineers - mixing their natural lightning abilities with machinery to create weapons and other technology.
The members of these Societies showed off their new inventions to the moonvipers quite happily and made it clear that if they did not leave on their own, then they would be pushed out. After what had occurred with the fireworms, the moonvipers of the Thundercrack Cascades did not want another massacre and abandoned their cities to return to the Serpent Delta.
The stormheralds moved into the empty cities, bringing their new technology with them. They expanded and adapted the stone structures to better suit themselves. Despite their aid, the new Societies decided to keep Ironbrook at arm’s length, perhaps nervous that they might attempt to build an empire the same way the moonvipers had, even if this meant that collaboration slowly died and became non-existent.
The First Lady of the Spire [274 A.E.D.]
It was many years before the need for a ‘Lady of the Spire’, a ruler to unite the Societies and stormheralds was recognized. In the centuries following the creation of the first Societies, many others formed as the stormheralds branched out into different fields of study.
These Societies were not just for study, however, but also rival political powers that ruled different regions of the stormheralds’ domain. While at the time they might have claimed to be devoted to engineering or astronomy, each had a branch for policing, government, war and justice.
Unlike today, the Societies rarely collaborated and often outright competed with each other to become the most sophisticated. Even the Societies of Power and Engineers butted heads more often than not, even if they were completely dependent on each other. It was only a matter of time until this hostile attitude boiled over into actual fighting.
In 266 A.E.D, violent clashes began to occur across their territory; in some regions, members of Societies fought together, while in others those same Societies were trying to destroy each other. The Society of Power refused to provide electricity to cities that they disliked, while the Society of Engineers began to hoard their inventions.
These battles may not have been organized or large, but their impact cannot be understated; many promising scientists were killed and the complete loss of Societies collaborating damaged progress in a way that is hard to understand.
By 274 A.E.D the Societies had exhausted themselves. Some had lost the best of their number and all regretted the loss of the other’s specializations. A gathering of their leadership was held at the Spire, a massive spear of rock in the middle of the northern desert, to discuss how to move forward. They could not just call a truce and go back to how things were before - that old way had failed, and they needed to find a new system.
It became clear that they needed a leader. Someone who would keep the balance between the Societies and make sure they worked together, rather than competing. That day, the first vote occurred between the leaders of the Societies, and the first Lady of the Spire, a young stormherald named Mayhem, was chosen from the Society of Architecture.
The Society of Architecture had mostly stayed out of the fighting after the first year, and thus it was a safe, unbiased choice that most members of the Societies were comfortable with. Mayhem, however, was unhappy with being chosen as the first leader of the stormheralds; she had little experience doing so, not to mention she was a naturally anxious individual. But she had been elected, and the leaders of the Societies refused to reconsider, so she set out to establish structure across the desert.
Her first actions were to force the Societies to cease their secondary focuses on governing and policing, and created new ones to do so instead, forming the Societies of Justice and War. Mayhem outlawed fighting between the Societies, established a number of collaborative projects to help unify them.
Mayhem made it a personal project to turn the Spire, where she had been elected, into the capital of the new Republic of the Spire. The Society of Architects worked with the leaders of the other Societies to create more than two dozen floors to suit each Society, as well as creating space for the Lady of Spire and her council and a cross-Societal college.
This project was still largely incomplete by the end of her ten years, but she continued working on the Spire until it was finished in 297 A.E.D. Following its completion, the Spire became the centre of the Republic’s government and education.
These Societies were not just for study, however, but also rival political powers that ruled different regions of the stormheralds’ domain. While at the time they might have claimed to be devoted to engineering or astronomy, each had a branch for policing, government, war and justice.
Unlike today, the Societies rarely collaborated and often outright competed with each other to become the most sophisticated. Even the Societies of Power and Engineers butted heads more often than not, even if they were completely dependent on each other. It was only a matter of time until this hostile attitude boiled over into actual fighting.
In 266 A.E.D, violent clashes began to occur across their territory; in some regions, members of Societies fought together, while in others those same Societies were trying to destroy each other. The Society of Power refused to provide electricity to cities that they disliked, while the Society of Engineers began to hoard their inventions.
These battles may not have been organized or large, but their impact cannot be understated; many promising scientists were killed and the complete loss of Societies collaborating damaged progress in a way that is hard to understand.
By 274 A.E.D the Societies had exhausted themselves. Some had lost the best of their number and all regretted the loss of the other’s specializations. A gathering of their leadership was held at the Spire, a massive spear of rock in the middle of the northern desert, to discuss how to move forward. They could not just call a truce and go back to how things were before - that old way had failed, and they needed to find a new system.
It became clear that they needed a leader. Someone who would keep the balance between the Societies and make sure they worked together, rather than competing. That day, the first vote occurred between the leaders of the Societies, and the first Lady of the Spire, a young stormherald named Mayhem, was chosen from the Society of Architecture.
The Society of Architecture had mostly stayed out of the fighting after the first year, and thus it was a safe, unbiased choice that most members of the Societies were comfortable with. Mayhem, however, was unhappy with being chosen as the first leader of the stormheralds; she had little experience doing so, not to mention she was a naturally anxious individual. But she had been elected, and the leaders of the Societies refused to reconsider, so she set out to establish structure across the desert.
Her first actions were to force the Societies to cease their secondary focuses on governing and policing, and created new ones to do so instead, forming the Societies of Justice and War. Mayhem outlawed fighting between the Societies, established a number of collaborative projects to help unify them.
Mayhem made it a personal project to turn the Spire, where she had been elected, into the capital of the new Republic of the Spire. The Society of Architects worked with the leaders of the other Societies to create more than two dozen floors to suit each Society, as well as creating space for the Lady of Spire and her council and a cross-Societal college.
This project was still largely incomplete by the end of her ten years, but she continued working on the Spire until it was finished in 297 A.E.D. Following its completion, the Spire became the centre of the Republic’s government and education.
Modern Day [503 A.E.D. Onwards]
The modern stormheralds are one of the most technologically advanced civilizations in the Realm, second perhaps only to Ironbrook, with major cities illuminated by electric lights, structures heated and cooled as needed, and the Spire’s college has become one of the best educational institutes in the world.
They are also one of the most divided nations in the Realm as well. While a third of the stormheralds live a life of luxury in a highly sophisticated paradise, the rest live in squalid shanty-towns in the least desirable locations of the territory, with their only options being to work long, exhausting hours generating power in the factories for faraway cities, or to join one of the many crime factions that have emerged.
Of all the crimelords, ‘Ratatat’ is the most powerful. Active in both Ironbrook and the Republic, she runs a vast criminal empire, smuggling, ransoming, and stealing her way to glory. Ratatat - or 'Mistress Rat' as her underlings call her - is exceedingly cunning and merciless with her enemies. Some say Ratatat has plans to usurp the current Lady of the Spire and even the Augury herself. Some say that she's a murderer who only cares about money. And, inn the slums of Ironbook and the Thundercrack Cascades, some say that she has a soft spot for the poor and downtrodden.
The current Lady of the Spire, Fever, is a member of the Society of Power. She has encouraged a working relationship with Ironbrook during her rule so they might make full use of magic, resulting in the increasing influence of the Societies of Runesmiths and Alchemy.
Although she comes off as soft-spoken and calm, none of the other stormheralds at the Spire are willing to look her in the eye, and rumour has it that she is utterly ruthless towards those who get in her way - even if she’s too clever to leave any evidence. Fever is fiercely determined to destroy the criminal underbelly of the stormheralds through whatever means necessary.
They are also one of the most divided nations in the Realm as well. While a third of the stormheralds live a life of luxury in a highly sophisticated paradise, the rest live in squalid shanty-towns in the least desirable locations of the territory, with their only options being to work long, exhausting hours generating power in the factories for faraway cities, or to join one of the many crime factions that have emerged.
Of all the crimelords, ‘Ratatat’ is the most powerful. Active in both Ironbrook and the Republic, she runs a vast criminal empire, smuggling, ransoming, and stealing her way to glory. Ratatat - or 'Mistress Rat' as her underlings call her - is exceedingly cunning and merciless with her enemies. Some say Ratatat has plans to usurp the current Lady of the Spire and even the Augury herself. Some say that she's a murderer who only cares about money. And, inn the slums of Ironbook and the Thundercrack Cascades, some say that she has a soft spot for the poor and downtrodden.
The current Lady of the Spire, Fever, is a member of the Society of Power. She has encouraged a working relationship with Ironbrook during her rule so they might make full use of magic, resulting in the increasing influence of the Societies of Runesmiths and Alchemy.
Although she comes off as soft-spoken and calm, none of the other stormheralds at the Spire are willing to look her in the eye, and rumour has it that she is utterly ruthless towards those who get in her way - even if she’s too clever to leave any evidence. Fever is fiercely determined to destroy the criminal underbelly of the stormheralds through whatever means necessary.