Hesperia MUD - [telnet hesperia-mud.org:7000]

The famous story-teller Andropovion, zealous follower of the Covenant, adventurer and historian, in a long tale dwelled on the Origins of the World. These tales were meticulously recorded and later rewritten by his servant Dinion. Now these were thoroughly revised for obvious flaws and are presented to you by my humble hands.
- Arch-Lector Vondil, Harkanian Imperial Library.

The World As We Know It

Millenia ago, the Hesperian Realm was nothing more than a barren rock, a cold and desolated place. Nature only allowed the little vegetation that could endure the harshness of the black rocks. There were some creatures crawling in the shadows, but no intelligent beings existed.

At this time, two travellers from another world by accident entered the Hesperian Realm. Two friends, Randall and Fletchez. The world they came from was known as Earth. They had discovered a dimensional portal which allowed them to travel from the Earth Realm to Hesperia and back. They discovered things in the Hesperian realm to be very different from their beloved Earth. As the first beings to roam this harsh world they possesed vast powers. They experimented with these powers as they started to use the portal to the world more and more and stayed on Hesperia for extended periods of time. With the power of their mind they triggered incantations that seemed to spring out of the air. With these incantations came the ability to create. Being but farmers on Earth, they were great sorcerors in this new world. They revelled in their new powers and were happy at that time.

Even though endowed with these vast powers they were young and foolish. Their extended stays in the Hesperian Realm weakened their bond with the Earth Realm and after one long stay on Hesperia they found themselves unable to return through the portal. Their existence on Earth had been erased. Because of their enhanced mental abilities they fully understood the foolishness of their previous actions.

Both realized all the new powers in this world could not make up for the loss of their real lives. Now they were banished to this strange, cold world, isolated from existence itself. Both mourned, but in different ways. This was the first step towards rivalry.

For Fletchez mourned and isolated himself. Sitting on a lonely rock he wept like a little child. So big was his grief that he cried for days on end. His tears formed little pools, which developed into small rivers. So big was his sorrow that it influenced the very essence of the world. After days the heavens joined Fletchez in his loss and wept big tears, forming raging rivers and lakes. Where they mixed with Fletchez's tears whole seas were formed. Randall grieved in his own way, wandering the world for weeks. He felt contempt and shame for the weakness of Fletchez and turned his back on him. More and more he tried to forget his loss by exploring his new powers. It must have been in this very period that Randall decided to delve into dark sorcery.

For Randall used the full extent of his powers to once again open the portal. He knew he himself could not venture back and lured a woman into the Hesperian realm. Juno was her name, and she was truly beautiful. He intended to take her as his wife, but she was afraid of him. Her power was considerable, but nothing compared to Randall or Fletchez. As she succeeded to escape Randall for a brief moment, she ran into the weeping Fletchez. As their eyes met, true love evolved and Fletchez stopped crying. Juno brought joy back to Fletchez's life. As Randall found out about their love he went into a frightening frenzy. For his powers had evolved and his might was awesome. He struck a devastating blow at the lovers but failed to break their bond. Together they faced him and Randall could not break them. Enraged he left, swearing vengeance. He went into voluntary banishment.

Fletchez and Juno married and lived happily in the new world. Juno's powers were marginal and she could not create lasting things. But under her influence Fletchez turned large parts of the planet into beautiful places. Vast woods, little springs, waterfalls and impressive mountains. Everywhere the couple passed they shared their warm love and friendship with the surroundings. For they were happy and changed the world with their love. For a long time they lived alone in this paradise. Then Juno suggested to create companions and Fletchez created animals to inhabit the water, air and land of Hesperia. Intelligent beings were the next step. Together, Fletchez and Juno created various races to inhabit the beautiful place the world now was. First they created the noble Elven race, directly followed by the Uyaite. These were both good creatures, caring for nature and remarkably intelligent. They then created a number of sturdier races such as the Dwarves, Giants and Dragons. All lived together in peace. Finally they created the Human race. At that point in time, darkness came back to the world.

For Randall returned. Having spent years in rage and beginning madness, he was now a truly dark force. He spread plague and other exotic diseases across the world, killing most creatures. With a combination of violence, threats and treacherous promises he aroused the evil emotions inhabiting some of the new creatures of the world. For he was the face of eternal evil, finally taking off his mask. Many decided to follow the dark road he enfolded. With disease sweeping the land and the traitor slaughterers, the lovely communities built by Fletchez and Juno were destroyed. Fletchez lacked the power to stand up against Randall. In his Black Fortress deep in the Marshes of Dread, Randall bred his own twisted races and created the Trolls, Orcs, Goblins, Ratmen and other dark races. Not all of these were purely evil, but all were naturally aligned to it, if properly guided. Thus Randall shaped his Dark Alliance, a pestilent religion that preaches hatred and the quick road to power. With the traitors from other races and his own crossbreeds, Randall set off a full-scale campaign to conquer the world. Initially he succeeded and the Dark Alliance's domain grew fast.

Fletchez was now prepared for war and had mobilized the remainders of his races. Calling themselves The Covenant, these forces tried to defend their ideals against the corruptive influences of the Dark Lord, Randall, and his minions. Though bitter, he asked Randall for an armistice, but Randall had the emissionary staked. A terrible war began, which is nowadays known among scholars as the War of Ages, in which numerous thousands of unique creatures perished. The spheres of influence and power of both Immortals varied in size over time. As Randall and Fletchez fought each other directly with all their powers, they depleted much of their mental reserves. After years of slaughter they were both seriously and permanently weakened. Their domains and spheres of influence lay scattered across the world, but they could no longer play an active role in the battle all the time. Randall was still the mightiest but he too had to retire from active battle, only to control his forces from his Throne Room deep in the Black Fortress. In the end he disappeared, only to appear when it is absolutely necessary. His evil is still everpresent in the world though. Fletchez and Juno disappeared too, exhausted by the Battle. Their care still lies upon the world as a warm blanket, though rarely witnessed by mortals.

Hesperia and its races continued to evolve, but now more naturally. As kingdoms emerged and declined, wars were fought, and love was made, there again were beautiful places like the Elven cities in the ancient woods, but also fearful places like the Dark Lands, where the creatures of the night ruled. The Human kingdoms were brought to prosperity and gained an enormous influence. The high reproductive rate of the Human race, combined with its enormous adaptability and highly war-like attitude, soon turned it into a factor of importance. Associated with the rise of the Human race was a new, powerful Immortal known as Saibot. Fletchez and Randall learned that an unknown number of Earthlings had managed to squeeze through the gateway when Juno was brought to Hesperia. These Earthlings had for a long time lain dormant, but slowly some of them started to awake, manifesting themselves as true Immortals. Saibot was the most powerful of these new Immortals and soon claimed his own role in the War of Ages. Cleverly he exploited the basic weaknesses of the Human race, their greed and hunger for respect and status. Both the Human race and Saibot prospered with the newly struck deal. The Humans formed a whole religion around Saibot, known nowadays as The Neutrals. Fletchez and Randall were already too late to bind Saibot into their services. Saibot managed to not become actively involved in the War of Ages and instead chose to maintain the status quo, exploiting every opportunity to profit from the War of Ages. He helped the Humans shape the influential Harkanian Empire and was from then on taken deadly serious.

Of the unknown number of Earthlings who squeezed through the portal with the arrival of Juno, most still lay dormant. The few who woke so far were able to claim Immortality, but found themselves unable to establish their own religion. Instead they were forced to associate themselves with one of the religions of The First Three. In these religions they fulfill important tasks and relentlessly try to extend the influence of their own religion and cult. The new Immortals dispersed equally over the religions. Joining the Dark Alliance was Thandor, Lord of Chaos. Strengthening the Neutrals Arminius, Lord of Ice. Enforcing the idealism of the Covenant was Atreana, Lady Justice. The arrival of the new Immortals rekindled the War of Ages. Again terror swept across the Hesperian continent. But the new Immortals understood rather quickly they were seriously depleting their powers and decided to retire from active battle as well and to manipulating mortals instead. The World was no longer a direct playing-field of the Immortals, but the races all worshipped them in various aspects.

Then the unimaginable happened. The Immortals agreed to reopen the gateway between Earth and the Hesperian Realm, hoping for a new share of Earthlings to enter the Hesperian Realm. Since the reserves of the world were for the most part depleted, these new Earthlings wouldn't be able to achieve Immortality. Instead they would be mortals with special powers and excellent Acolytes for the Immortal armies. In a combined effort of all Immortals the gateway was reopened. Soon the first new Earthlings arrived on the Hesperian Realm. They appeared on the world in the bodies of natural Hesperian races, such as Elves, Dwarves, Giants and so on. Some of their gifts were truly remarkable. They were able to communicate without using speech, calling this ability telepathy. All adapted quickly and learned new things fast. Some had an astonishing talent for spellcasting, others were true warriors. All the strangers matured rapidly and soon proved to be excellent leaders in the War of Ages, eager to fight on behalf of the religion they chose to side with.

With the incoming stream of Earthlings came a new era. Though brutally thrown into the Hesperian Realm, most were quick to adapt to their new lives and revelled in their new existence. They eagerly join the cults and religions of Hesperia, fueling the Immortals' armies with their fanaticism and devotion. It will only be a matter of time before the War of Ages rages again, this time led by new forces.

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