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Rise and Fall of the Vesperian Empire

It did not take long for Marcaeus to discover the Protokeros. He both was jealous and afraid of them, and sought to bend them to his will, as he ever sought dominion over others. He believed he could overcome the power of the other Gods by spreading his Corruption first among these pseudo-spirits; with the intent that he would have enough of a stronghold in the world to subjugate the Gods by means of corrupting them as well.

Mar began to sow the seeds among the lower castes in the population, posing as their patrons to gain their attention and loyalty. It took ages to work his way up to the royal family, but Mar was eventually able to assume indirect control over nearly half the population by the beginning of Rigela Starkindler's rule. By then, the majority believed that their inherent power entitled them to rule over magically inferior races. This combination of power and their advanced technology led to an overwhelming success in the conquering and subjugation of many of the free peoples on Atuannar and beyond.

The Vesperian Empire eventually spanned the entirety of Atuannar and a good portion of the Polar Wilds, and the Protokeros remained in power for thousands of years. Typical of conquest, Protokeros warriors siredquite a bit of illegitimate children. As years drew on and the Protokeros Half-Bloods mixed further and further into Hevonandar society, the lineage morphed into what is now known as the Unicorn. They were vastly inferior magic users compared to their ancestors, and their only common trait was the possession of a horn on the forehead. There are varying species, and those that are more closely related to the Protokeros retained their deer-like features and curved horns, although a majority of Hevonandar Unicorn horns are no longer curved due to dilution of Protokeran heritage.

Near the end of Imperatori Rigela's unnaturally long life, when she was supposed to enter into The Fading, it became clear to others that something was amiss. Instead of exhibiting the usual loss of pigmentation, she instead began taking on darker coloration. It was at this point that it became clear to mortals, spirits, and Gods alike that Marcaeus had spread his Corruption of the Void. The civilization became unstable, until finally a civil war broke out. The Corrupted against the remaining forces united against them. The war lasted only a few years, as the Gods quarreled, so too did mortals and spirits. Mar was again forced to flee into the Void, and most of the Corrupted on Telluvial had been pushed into hiding. This marked the end of the Terrible War, and the end of the Vesperian Empire.

The house of Rigela Starkindler had been divided in the war, and it was believed that they had all been slain in battle. There was tension among the remaining Protokeros as to whom would lead them, but it was agreed that only an Heir of Prometheus was worthy of command. The Protokeros were eventually divided; half remained in the capital to begin the long process of rebuilding, while the others chose the life of nomads in the Polar Wilds. The throne, once restored, sat empty for thousands of years.

The Heirs of Prometheus survived, however. There were a few who were able to keep themselves and their young hidden during and after the Terrible War, and they were part of the nomads who set out for the Wilds. It was believed that it was best to keep the true Heirs hidden in secrecy until a more opportune time.

With the populations of all the major species greatly diminished, they all withdrew from each other. In the thousands of years after the downfall of the Empire, Spirits have assumed control over some older cities, while strange monsters have begun to run rampant in recent history. Atuannar is now nearly overrun, and the affliction is spreading into the Polar Wilds.

Present Day

Amalthea Starkindler, believing she could reunite her divided people, revealed herself and her daughter as Heirs of Prometheus. She managed to gather a host of Protokeros scattered across the Wilds and made the treacherous journey to Atuannar. There, she was met with resounding rejection, as none there believed her to be the true Heir. There were whispers about her young daughter, bearing nebulous hair; a trait not seen since the fall of the Empire. Something in Amalthea broke, and taking her host, she returned to the Polar Wilds, refusing to set foot back in Atuannar. Her mental health declined over the decades, and she grew cold and distant from Aurora and the rest of her people.

Amalthea eventually Faded, and Aurora led her people back to Vesperia, vowing to all there that she would prove to them she was worthy of her birthright. Her knowledge of monsters, and Protokeran ruins in the Polar Wilds gave pause to the homelanders long enough for them to concede that if she could prove her worth, she would be accepted as Imperatori. She left all the Protokeros behind, returning once more to the Polar Wilds in hopes of helping restore their civilization to its former state of advanced living. A great many have taken a liking to her and are drawn to her, but are wary that a Half-Blood could truly be their Imperatori. Nevertheless, it is undeniable the help she and her nomads have provided to the advancement of current Protokeran society and the eradication of monsters, and her friends anxiously await her return.

Timeline

Age of Timelessness

• Creation of the Gods and the Universe

Foundation Years

• Creation of the World, Telluvial
• Creation of the Elder Races (Protokeros, Dragons, etc.)

First Age

• Founding of Vesperia, building of the kingdom over thousands of years
• First Eight die out, signaling the end of an age

Second Age

• Kingdom of Vesperia expands and flourishes, dealing peacefully with other nations.
• Mar begins to sow the first seeds of Corruption in Protokeros
• Rigela is crowned Imperatori

Third Age

• Rigela Starkindler becomes Corrupted, begins military conquest
• Protokeros gain control over Atuannar/Polar Wilds and remain in power for thousands of years. Corruption is discovered, and Civil War breaks out. Protokeros split into two clans, one nomad, one remaining in Vesperia. The Gods wage a second war on Marcaeus but he escapes into the Void.
• The Heirs of Prometheus are believed to be dead, but they live on in secrecy in the Polar Wilds among Wildling Clans

Fourth Age

• Thousands of years pass, and while Vesperia is rebuilt, they are nowhere near the level of advancement they once held.
• Aurora Starkindler has emerged and is on a quest to claim her birthright