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[plexus]

Draakrijik

[SKILORD]

I'd start the new thread, but, as many of you have guessed, I don't do the whole 'Update Post 1' bit very well.

So we gotta wait fr the Merti man.

[trickey]

*waits for metali, the god of the Bachaian people, to log on to 'poly*

[Sheep]

Backstory and Histroy of Sylvannia Part One

There are few facts, but much legends surrounding the Grand Duchy of Sylvannia and the ruling von Carstein bloodline. Vampiric in nature the von Carsteins were destined from the beginning to become the most powerful and important of its kind in the world today. Indeed Sylvannia is in its zenith under the rulership of Duke Vlad over the dark and inhospitable island.


Before the advent of the von Carsteins, and in fact since the begiining of historical records, Sylvannia has always been referred to as a cursed and evil land. It surface for the most part is covered by dark and dangerous forrests, its soil unproductive and poor. it is a land where the darkest energies of mnagic flow strong. The dead long hav a reputation for not resting easily, attested by the Sylvannian custom of burying their dead, 6 foot deep and upside down, to make it harder for them to claw out.

The vile noblemen, long since practioners of the dark arts and the lore of necromancy, built their castles and keeps at mystical points where the winds of magic flow their strongest. Sylvannians are kept in a state of misery and superstitous ignorance while their squalid hamlets are dominated with ruthless cruelty.

It was almost five centuries ago that the von Carsteins took power in the Dukedom. The then duke, Otto von Drak died without a male heir and after a quick intercine war Manfred von Carstein seized the throne. Majority of the aristocracy at first did not recognise Manfred as their new monarch, but soon were 'persuaded' to do so. The best of them Manfred made into lesser vampires, so that they could form his enternal bodygard and be the generals of his undead legions. Queen Neffretia III of Lahmia, in the norther half of the island did not interfere, as she failed to see the threat posed by Mafred's ascension.

Sylvannia was transformed into a efficent country. Manfred ruled tow long centuries, using diffrent names and guises as to not arouse suspicion, over his unnatural longevity. He bided his time waiting for the right moment to strike.

Less than three centuries ago, Manfred revealed his true nature to the world, that of a vamire lord. He attacked Lahmia at the head of a horde made of the regular Sylvannian army and countless legions of the living dead. The Wars of Vampiric Ascendacy had begun. Lahmia was devestated, as Manfred rampaged throughout the nation for forty years. During this long period the fortunes of the war changed many times. More than once Manfred was cut down by a hero's blade or a lucky cannon shot, and every time his army suffered severe casualties.

Unfortuanltley for Lahmia, the Duke always wore a powerful amgic ring that granted him amazing regenartive powers. Manfred always retruned from the netherworld ad the victims of famine, pestilence and the war were always there to replenish his armies.

In the frst war's fiftith year, after a series of great victories, Manfred's army was immense. The Sylvannians reached the capital of Nekhraka, and laid seige to the greatses city of Lahmia. the seige lasted for moths with the Lahmians losing all hope. When the final assault came, the High Preistess of Lahmia faced Manfred herself on the battlements of Nekhraka. Sensing that she could not alone win this duel, the High Priestess decided to sacrafice her own life, in an attempt to destroy the Duke. She let Manfred stab her with his sword and with her last strength she grabbed Manfred and dragged both of them off the walls.

The two figures fell in an embrace of death and impaled themselves on one of the many stakes littering Nekhraka's moat. legends say that Manfred's ring had been stolen the night before by the greatest theif in the known world.

[Sheep]

Part Two

Wherever the truth lies, that was the end of the first Vampiric Duke of Sylvannia. With Manfred gone, the Sylvannians were forced into retreat. ver half the Vampiric generals were dead, but sogreat were the causalites inflicted on Lahmia that no pursuit was possible. Facing rebellion at home the Queen o Lahmia was forced to deal with her own subjects then to press into Sylvannia. This way the pernicous lords of Sylvannia were granted an interval to remarshall their strength.

The remaining von Carsteins reached Sylvannia where they hid to lick their wounds. Soon a bitter stuggle broke out, to decide who would tak the titile of Duke now that Manfred was gone. After years of internal strife Konrad vonm Carstein prevailed.

Konrad was a mad and violent individual , feeared by his servants as much as his enemies. he immediatley launched another campaign agains Lahmia, in a vain attempt to emulate Manfred's victories. Far less skilled a tactian than his predecessor, Konrad was stopped at nthe Battle of Grim Moor. The Duke fell to the hero Helmar, soon to be prince married to Queen Neffretia IV.

In the aftermath of the second war, the current Duke Vlad von Carstein took command. Vlad is a towering figure of a man, with a mane of black hair and percing eyes. A subtle, devious and trecherous individual, he is know to at times posses an evil temprament that could easily esculate into beserker fury. There are times when only his wife, Isabella can calm him without blood being spilt. Isabella is Vlad's most trusted confidante and the only person he truly trusts.

Two more centureis passed under Vlad. He rebuilt Sylvannia and repaired relations with Lahmia. Biding his time, Sylvannia prosepered while he ssecretly rebuilt the army.

Vlad's time came as Lahmia crashed into civil war asd the High Prince upsurped the Queen';s cotnrol with the High Priestess's forces joining the Queen. Vlad's undead leagions crossed the Sylvannian border in the depths of winter and marched through the snows to Nekhraka, putting any villages they met to the sword to add them to the ranks of his army. Victory followed Victory and mere rumours of Vlad's apporach were enough to send them fleeing from their homes to freeze to death in the snow. His forces reached Nekhraka late winter and he foundte city battlements empty of defenders.

Vlad had accomplished what his predecessors had not done. With their capital gone, the High Prince surrendered his forces to Sylvannia. In return the High Prince was give the 'kiss of blood' and gifted eternal undeath as a Vampire. Without the other half of the Lahmian resistance the Queen and the High Preistess were forced into exile. Within the then years after the annexation fo Lahmia by Sylvannia, both the Lahmian rulers had died of mysterious causes.

That was fifty years ago, and Duke Vlad and his wife Isabella still regin over the Sylvannian island and ready themselves for the next challange.

[plexus]

Draakrijik History

The Hagedissen are an ancient race created by the god-like beings known as the Old Ones to be the guardians of the world. Their age-old civilisation is in the lush forests of Draakrijik and the Zuiden Islands, where their mighty temple-cities rise amid the ancient trees and tundra, while their great ports dot the coastline.

Large, unearthly creatures, the Tovenaar are quite unlike anything else in the world. Their heads are large to match the mighty intellect held within, and their eyes are bulbous and all-seeing. They can live for thousands of years, and their bodies become more bloated with the passing centuries. They perceive time differently to the short-lived mortal creatures of the world, and slip into extended periods of contemplation and thought that can last decades, even centuries, at a time. Endlessly they ponder the meaning of time and the mysteries of the universe. And their leaderships skills are un-matched.

A fully arrayed Hegedissen army is an awesome and striking battle force filled with colour and variety. Saurus warriors form the fighting core of the army, supported by clouds of nimble Snelen that harass the enemy with blowpipe and javelins from amongst the forests and tundra.

Terrifying creatures such as the vicious, fire-breathing Draaken, the towering Reuzen and the gargantuan Verbrijzen fight alongside the Hagedissen javeliners and infantry, guided into battle where their aggressive, carnivorous instincts take over as they prey on and devour their foes.

[SKILORD]

AHEM Mark.

C'mon man, we be needin the new thread.