Astrican History

The Aratans

Early Aratans on horseback

The men today known as Astricans descended from a tribe of humans hundreds of years ago known as the Aratans. The Aratans, like most early human peoples, were nomadic and warlike. Aratan society was materialistic, raids led to good and those with the most goods were generally the strongest of the tribe, and the strongest of the tribe had the rites to rule. Aratans worshiped the god Saelus, who was once a Human man himself, but earned his Godhood through great deeds, and became the God of Humankind. Saelus gave the Aratans strength, defiance, perseverance and perception. Aratan society was largely defined and dominated by this religion and for many years, it would prevent change. Although glory was also found in the days when Saelus was mortal, change would come to the Aratans eventually due to the perseverance, strength, defiance and perception of one Chieftain, Andas.

Andas became chieftain by being captain of the strongest raiding party of the tribe, which at the time, was the only way to rise in the ranks of the tribe. He waited for entropy to affect the previous chief until he was weak enough to be usurped. Typically when a new Chieftain is elected life continues the same as always. To the Aratans it did, raids continued and new land was tread upon constantly. Andas had an agenda, however, he saw the civilizations his people raided and aspired to build something greater. He gave his captains goods to keep them happy and for himself, he horded the books, maps and lore. Andas read of the richest lands to plunder and when the goods increased, he claimed Saelus taught to him that through knowledge, a greater life can be achieved, his people happy with their possessions listened to Andas with open hearts and minds.

Andas taught to his people, the new word of Saelus. That Strength existed to serve honor, that Defiance existed to lead to individual growth, that Perception was a gateway to knowledge, which in turn was a gateway to prosperty for the Aratans. Warriors existed not to raid but to protect the weak and more importantly, the wise, which would be the new ruling class. So the greatest of the Aratan warriors evolved to Aratan knights who valued Chivalry. The tribe expanded in society, between religious men and wisemen. The books and lore of eternal Elven kingdoms were added to a horde of largely untranslated knowledge. And while most mortals were affected negatively by the Cataclysm, the Aratans found benefit.

When the Cataclysm struck Astrica, nations burned and fell, leaving behind massive power vacuums. Using the maps stolen from other civilizations, the Aratans traveled to what was believed to be a land of prosperity, rich soil, bountiful coasts of fish over and a green country rolling over deposits of ores. The Aratans followed a map to cross a land bridge and there they settled. Andas would not see his people become a civilization, however. When the Aratans finally settled down, they hid their books, scrolls and maps securing them well but left vulnerable what the orcs desired to take and burn. This would bring the Wrath of Malkoz


Malkoz

The Legend of Andas

A great host of orcs approached the Aratan camp, they were led by the Dharg known as Malkoz. Andas took up sword with his knights and stood side by side with the rest of the men who had levied into a militia. The battle raged intense for days, the Aratans were more resilient than the Orcs had expected leading to a stalemate until Malkoz grew impatient enough to commit all of his forces to the weakest Aratan flank. When the Aratan flank was attacked, it was reported almost immediately to Andas. To respond in time to break the Orc offensive would take far too long with the foot militia, so Andas took all the knights he had left and charged into the Orcish flank in the middle of their assault. The odds were stacked heavily against the Aratans, a hundred and fifty knights against over nine hundred orcs.

Andas, however was bold and planned to break the lines and get close enough to Malkoz. The task seemed impossible, no man could wade through a dozen line of Orcish spears and then through the many more that would intercept him but Andas had Saelus on his side. The claims Andas made all those years about Saelus were true, Andas was in fact chosen of Saelus and as he charged, he called upon his God one last time. Andas glowed with energy as a pillar descended from the heavens blinding the Orcish lines and disintegrating a hole straight to Malkoz. Andas charged through, his knights hitting the Orcish lines. He looked Malkoz in the eye, a Dharg so large that he stood equal in height to Andas on horseback. He thrusted his sword through the chest of the Dharg, piercing his heart.

The hilt of Andas' sword shattered, seperating it from the blade impaled into the Dhargs chest. The blade blackened, matching the color of the Dhargs skin as he fell over dead.  A great shadow emerged from the corpse of Malkoz approaching Andas but before it could reach him, Andas glowed even brighter and a great explosion of energy unleashed from him as many orcs in the vicinity were disintegrated and Andas' physical self was no more as he ascended to a Godly state. The Orcs were shocked and when they saw thousands of charging footmen, they fled carrying Malkoz' body, never to return.

Spartacus Licinianus Aurelius

Without their chieftain, the Aratans looked to the strongest warrior as they always had when a chieftain dies. The strongest captain was proven to be the warrior Spartacus Licinianus Aurelius and so he ascended to rule. Spartacus respected all values that Andas taught to his people. Spartacus pioneered a civilization, he translated the knowledge gathered through decades and and set the scene for a hundred year Renaissance. Spartacus vowed eternal revenge on all Orc, as the culture, language, politics, government, economy and technology advanced so to did the martial might and prowess of the Astricans. Spartacus created a profession of citizen soldier, far more armed and professional than any militia, these Astrican Legionaries would be the staple might of the Empire being supplemented by a noble class of Knights on horseback.

And thus the Empire of Astrica was born, this bold race of human would claim themselves as the greatest civilization of Man on Bodhan Torr. Even after the passing of Spartacus, a stark tradition of strong rulership would see the Empire rise through the generations. Much land would be conquered, at the expense of other kingdoms and the Orcs. The stage was set for the rise of the Astrican Empire.

Modern History

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