Age of the Sorcerer-Kings

The Second Age of Man began roughly 2,700 years ago after the Magicians of Aan abandoned the city. It was marked by ancient empires ruled by human sorcerers. Humanity came into its own during this time (though under the autocratic rule of the Magicians). This Age lasted about 1,800 years.

Ancient Empires Established
c. 2000 BAR

The ancient human Magicians achieved a great accomplishment with the construction of Aan. However, it was about the only thing they cooperated on, before or after. The Magicians had not even lived in Aan for a single century before they spread out across Ryh’ardha to build vast empires. Each faction had their own view on the “best” path to employ for magic and their sorcerous kingdoms reflected this.

Over the next few centuries, the Magicians founded their empires and spread their power as far as they could, usually enslaving the indigenous populations of the lands they conquered. It was during this time that the saw the rise of: Khemsa, a kingdom of necromancers that covered most of the Varghani Desert; Satar, in control of the Emerald Coast and ruled by summoners who trafficked with demons; the war wizards of Xolta in western Ambia; the alchemists and construct-builders of Moras to the east of Xolta; southern Syrhaat which was dominated by enchantresses; Zammut, sandwiched between Khemsa and Syrhaat and dedicated to the study of illusionism; and Arisa, in southern Ulthia and home to masters of polymorphing magic.

As might be expected given their arrogance and elitism, the magical kingdoms often clashed with one another. Great items of power were crafted, monstrous beasts were spawned, thrall warrior races such as the bull-like Tauroks and the half-fiend Dràs were created, and armies of slaves, soldiers, and sorcerers fought and died. Moras was vanquished by Xolta, Syrhaat annexed the realm of Zammut, and the rest continuously clashed throughout the Age.

Ur’Zaal Brings Magic to Quanyari
c. 1500 BAR

For reasons known only to him, a renegade Xoltan archmage named Ur’Zaal traveled to the Quanyari and taught them the secrets of magic. Thousands of years of mortal refinement had made magic accessible to races once unable to comprehend its secrets. Ur’Zaal then disappeared from the annals of history, though many believe he continued his tutelage of other races to spread the knowledge previously only known to a portion of humanity.

Shortly after mastering sorcery, the Quanyari invaded the mainland and conquered the kingdom of Arisa, establishing the empire of Az’gotha.

Runegates Sealed
c. 1300 BAR

The sorcerer-kings made frequent use of the ancient Runegates, using them to quickly and easily move large amounts of goods and soldiers across vast distances. The gates within the empires were also heavily guarded to prevent enemies from learning the keys to open them. However, around 1300 BAR, the interdimensional spaces between the gates (the “runeways”) began to fill with demons, devils, and other fell creatures from Maledicium. It was assumed that the cause was yet another major experiment gone horribly awry (likely the fault of Satarite summoners), but whatever the cause, the Runegates were no longer a viable means of safe travel. Even worse, some of the gates started emitting fiends even when they weren’t activated. As such, most if not all the Runegates were magically sealed to prevent a major demonic incursion into the world.

Earthquake Creates Tarat Bay
c. 750 BAR

In 750 BAR, a massive earthquake in the southern Varghani Desert caused an upheaveal of part of the region and a collapse of another. The Qeshan Mountains and Tarat Bay were formed as a result. The Khemsan capital city Amanheru was in the area that collapsed; it now lies in ruins beneath the waters of the bay. A rift created by the devastation also helped to create Lake Umbras in the Underworld.

Northern War Against the Giants
c. 500 BAR

During the Second Age, most of northern Ryh’ardha was unclaimed by the sorcerer-kings. It was primarily occupied by Skalnir and Khazrani tribes. Around 500 BAR, their lands were invaded by armies of giants (mainly frost but some stone and hill). The tribes asked the southern empires for aid, but they were ignored. Alone, the tribal humans eventually defeated the giants, but the lack of aid embedded a deep distrust in the northerners for southern people in general and sorcerers in particular.

Fall of the Ancient Empires
c. 300 BAR

The empires of the sorcerer-kings endured for many years, but almost all eventually fell into ruin. Xolta-Moras split into warring factions after their ruler, the infamous “Supreme Mystarch” Daemos, disappeared. Slave revolts forced the Quanyari to retreat from Ryh’ardha back to Az’gotha. Satar was overcome by a mysterious plague, believed to have originated in Maledicium. The last empire to fall was Khemsa, weakened as it was since the destruction of Amanheru 450 years earlier; the wizard Sekhemet rose up and killed the last Khemsan Pharoah, finishing the empire and closing the Second Age.

Of the ancient empires, only Syrhaat survived, but it too was forced to deal with domestic troubles and has been in a slow, steady decline ever since.