The world of my WIP fantasy series, The Realm of the Fallen Book One: The Prophecy of Seven Book Two: Legacy Rising
A Short History of Iraidac, Ghanii and the Islands
The Fall of Gods created the world.
That is the saying among the people of Iraidac, Ghanii and the Islands, apropos, if not entirely accurate. The world of mortals existed long before the Twin Gods plummeted, but the schism between Iraidac and Ghanii, and the shape of the world thereafter was caused by this Fall.
Of the time before the Fall there exists little written record, as the people saw no need, passing their history and culture through the generations with stories and songs. What is known is no countries nor kingdoms existed, simply tribes. Some of these inhabitants were farmers, some nomads, some seafarers, some peaceful, some fierce and warlike.
Then came the great cataclysm that ripped apart the sky. This night, now called the Dark Chasm, it is said the world shuddered and screamed as the lands ruptured in great tremors, the sky erupted in a maelstrom of crimson lightning, and from the heavens plunged two radiant orbs of fire. One fireball impacted the lands of what is now known as Iraidac, and the other plunged deep into the seas off the coast of what became Ghanii. And from these celestial events, two gods rose and reshaped the world.
Religion of Iraidac, Ghanii and the Islands
The Twin Gods: (Also known as the Fallen Gods or the Exiled Gods)
- Eshmon, the Warrior God, God of Victory
- Kralius, the Drowned God, the God of the Sea
Setaesi, the Goddess of Death and Rebirth
Ynyta, the Goddess of Prophecy and the Stars
The Entwined Pair:
- Peregast, God of the Harvest
- Raitha, Goddess of Fertility
Aktheth, Ruler of Gods, husband to Cyllitha
Cyllitha, Ruler of Souls, and wife to Aktheth
Kingdoms
- Iraidac: primarily worship Eshmon, and believe their kingdom was founded by him.
- Ghanii: before being conquered by Iraidac, they primarily worshiped Kralius; after the invasion Eshmon became their primary god. They also have prominent shrines to Peregast and Raitha.
- Nightwind Isle: primarily worship Kralius and Ynyta
- Dark Rift Islands: primarily worship Setaesi
- The Starlight Triad (Lyrix, Asdios, Drashea): primarily worship Ynyta
- The South Lands: primarily worship Aktheth and Cyllitha, but their sailors pray to Kralius and Ynyta
Current Timeline For Realm of the Fallen
- The Twin Gods Eshmon and Kralius are cast from the Realm of the Gods by their Father Aktheth.
- The Twin Gods (now also called the Fallen Gods or Exiled Gods) fall to the Mortal Realm, Eshmon into a tribal land and Kralius into the sea, where he is presumed lost.
- In the aftermath of the cataclysmic disasters caused by the Fallen Gods, Eshmon aids and unites the nomad tribes and founds the Iraidac kingdom and its capital city of Denora.
- Kralius is washed on to the shores opposite Iraidac and taken in by a surviving village. Touched by the generosity of this devastated land, he founds what will become the trading city of DragonHelm and the land of Ghanii; his teachings become their beliefs and culture.
- Also during this period, the island cultures of the Dark Rift Islands (sorcerers and necromancers), Nightwind Island (pirates, smugglers, and traders), and the Starlight Triad (seers and sorcerers) form.
- The two cultures of Iraidac and Ghanii thrive for centuries peacefully co-existing long after their Gods vanish from the mortal world, presumably returning to their own realm.
- Peace is broken when King Ohrym of the Iraidac leads an army called the Fallen across the sea and invades Ghanii. He claims to be led by the word of Eshmon to unite the land of the two brothers under one rule.
- A decades long war ensues, fought on land and sea, with the islands in-between the kingdoms taking sides (and changing sides, as well as profiting from smuggling) until the final battle on the plains outside DragonHelm. That city falls, and Ghanii is conquered by the armies of Iraidac.
- King Ohrym’s son, Kaif, (his father now dead and his elder brother ruling in Iraidac) takes the throne of DragonHelm and rules Ghanii, changing most of its laws and religion to Iraidac traditions. His descendants still rule today.
- For several more years there are rebellions in Ghanii, but eventually the people accept the invaders, although there is still simmering resentment for generations.
- In the time of Kaif’s great grandson, King Fidth, a seer on the island of Drashea (one of the Starlight Triad) makes the Prophecy of Seven (as it will eventually be known). This prediction seemingly foretells the fall of the King in DragonHelm, but may have more than one interpretation.
- The prophecy sparks off another rebellion, which morphs into a minor war. The Ghanii rebels are defeated, but King Fidth is killed in the final battle. His daughter, Queen Rayssa, amid continuing unrest, outlaws mention of the prophecy and it fades to forbidden, underground whispers and hope, and finally to a children’s rhyme.
- More generations pass until the time of King Bothil and the story of the first book, The Prophecy of Seven.
The Prophecy of Seven
Seven shall die in DragonHelm
Upon the sacred Night of Years
To sweep away the Fallen Realm
And forever end the Reign of Tears
One by Water
Two by Earth
Three by Steel
The last at Birth
The Blade Will Rise
For a King’s Demise
Be Afraid of the Dark 