Trapped under the feuds of the Elder races, a nascent species of primates will discover an untapped power of the cosmos: belief. Through it, humanity will elevate a minor Primordial shard of Creation to the heights of Divinity. And in turn, Hazlia, Pantokrator, Father of Mankind, will forge a Dominion to rival the elders for his believers. Shielded by a byzantine pantheon with Hazlia at its top, the theocracy of the Dominion will lead humanity in a meteoric rise, with magic, science and arts reaching unprecedented levels – before corruption, madness and hybris, on the Elysium of the Heavens as well as on its mortal counterpart, will inevitably lead the world to a second cataclysm.
There are many theories about the origin of humanity and the manner of their evolution and survival. Trapped under the feuds of the Elder races and wondering in their ignorance, it is a wonder they survived the clashes of titans around them, as they did. And they did more than survive; in the aftermath of the Shuttering, and as the Elder races still struggled to find their footing in the ashes of the cataclysmic wars they had endured, humanity came to rise like a second sun. It is, some say, the essence of human spirit, the grit and persistence of humanity, that allowed them not only to endure, but to prevail and dominate. Others, however, know better. For by accident or fate, this nascent species of primates discovered an untapped power of the cosmos, one avenue to might which remained hidden from the Dweghom and the Exiles, and which humanity would come to wield masterfully, creating its own champion, protector and guide powerful enough to forge an empire for his beloved people:
Belief.
While the details remain elusive, it is known that, in the aftermath of the Shuttering and the Memory Wars, many early human tribes sought shelter in the emptied Dragon Rooks and Dweghom Holds. There, the tools and materials, and even the writings, would provide safety and shelter at worst, propel their advancement at best. Among the rest of the treasure troves of knowledge and advanced toolmaking, one such tribe, since known only as the First Tribe, discovered something that gave them pause: a Dragon Forge. Imbued with primordial shards of creation, these forges had produced some of the most advanced creations known to the cosmos – but to those early humans, it spoke of simpler things: heat, light and safety in a world of darkness and turmoil. It was not long before the small shard within the forge would become the object of the First Tribe’s adoration. And through that belief, the shard would come to expand, in size and understanding, until it came to be elevated from a minor Primordial shard of Creation to the heights of Divinity. And in turn, the fledgling god, Hazlia, would forge a Dominion for his believers, an empire to rival the influence of the Elders.
As Hazlia’s power and reach grew, he gathered allies, Ninuah, the Mother and Cleon, the Protector, being the far greatest among them. As a triumvirate, they would preside over an ever growing pantheon until, before long, the triumvirate was overshadowed by Hazlia, Pantokrator, Father of Mankind; and his Dominion was happy to fuel his ever-increasing power. Shielded by this byzantine pantheon with Hazlia at its top, the theocracy of the Dominion would lead humanity in a meteoric rise, with magic, science and arts reaching unprecedented levels. Even the Dweghom and Exiles would hesitate before directly confronting the Dominion at the height of its power. But while the bylaws of belief are many, its mechanics intricate and largely unknown to this day, its three basic tenets were ever simple: Belief is Power. Power attracts Power. And Power corrupts. Hazlia’s rise had proven the first one true. The others were to follow soon after.
While on the mainland of Alektria Hazlia’s Dominion would come to dominate, especially in the east, on the northern island of Mannheim another miracle was taking place. Shielded by the brunt of the wars that plagued their kin, a single Spire had managed to retain unity and forge an alliance against the dragons, rather than betray each other time and time again. There, known to the local human population as the Aesir and Vanir, the Lineages and the scientists caste had allied with the artisans and the religious caste, creating a Spire whose beauty surpassed this world and where Biomancy and Life-Binding walked hand in hand. Much like Hazlia and his pantheon, these Exiles would become the object of faithful adoration by the human population, elevating them into divinity. Hazlia would not abide by such a challenge. And in the year now known as 313 A.R., the divine Caelesor, mortal leader of the Dominion asked for guidance and Hazlia answered:
Build ships. You have run out of men to conquer.
These words would signal a three-century period of violence, madness and escalating decay, culminating in a single, cataclysmic event, that would nearly wipe out all life.