Introduction

Pondaera is a fantasy setting for Dungeons and Dragons.

A Brief History

Recorded history starts in the time before rulers or governments, before the seven original races had even met each other.  These were years without numbers.  To the far north, in the cold land of snow and ice, lived the Giants.  In the Sea, to the east, lived the Merfolk.  On the land, high in the mountains, lived the Aarakocra.  South of them, and beneath the mountains, lived the Dwarves.  On top of the land, in the rolling hills, lived the Halflings.  North of them, where mountain, forest and river meet, lived Man.  Last, to the north of them, but still south of the giant, in the jungle, lived the Elves.

Near the first year, each of the races selected a ruling family.  They did this without knowledge of the other races.  It was simply the way of things.  In year 153, Halflings and Dwarfs first encountered each other.  In the year 268, Elves and Humans did the same.  By the year 499, all of the seven races had met their neighbors and agreements were formed to set borders and establish trade.  The world was good in this time.  In the border towns the races mingled.

This peace lasted for more then half a millennium.  In 1213, the Giants began claiming the lands of Elves and Aarakocra.  Both came to Men for assistance, but the Men were slow to act, weighing everything over the coarse of years.  To keep their war engine moving, the Giants began paying Merfolk for Dwarven arms and armor, custom made for them.  The merfolk traders made gold, the dwarven smiths made gold, and this worked well, until their involvement was discovered.  By 1346 every race had declared war on at least one other and blood was being shed everywhere.  By 1780 the kingdoms had all collapsed, there was no formal war, but every being fought only for himself.  Agreements were made only for survival, without love, and never lasted long.

Not much is known from what is now called the time of Darkness.  But, in 2215 a council was formed, with the sole purpose was ending the never ending war.  Representatives of each of the seven races, and more than a dozen cross races were present.  The old regional lines were re-drawn and it was agreed that the ruler of each region would be of the original race, or related to the original race, so that power would again be shared.  It seemed that the glory days had returned, but we were wiser now.

In 3029, the council again came together, this time composed of the kings and high royalty of each region.  Their purpose this time was to elect an emperor, to govern disputes between the kingdoms.

It was decided that at the death of each emperor the council would regather and elect the next emperor.  For more than 700 years with the passing of more than a dozen emperors, that is exactly what happened.  In 3772, when an emperor ascended the throne and in less than 30 days died, it was decided that the emperor's job would be passed down the bloodline, and the council only need meet when the last of the emperor's bloodline had died.  This would be the last decision the council would make.  The next emperor's family, a blend of elves and humans, continued for many generations.  Each generation was more degenerate than the one before.  They began overruling the regional kings, striking fear in their subjects.

In 4113, the emperor declared the regions a defunct system, and declared all of the kings subject to him, and his whims.  That, they were now one empire, without borders.  Punishments were to be harsh, and handed out quickly.  Taxes were to be high and given without pause.  Even the slightest comment against the throne could result in the destruction of a whole village.  The age of the empire was drawing to a dark close.

 In 4500, two hundred and forty years before present day, a secret organization killed off the emperor and all of his heirs in a single night. It was quick, and silent.  As the news trickled out, people rejoiced quietly for fear it was a ploy.  No council was called and no new emperor was elected.

In 4716 the ancient, red dragon, Malefon located and rang one of the Anvils of Creation.  This spawned several new races including Dragonborn and Tieflings.  In addition to that, this released the Mad God Holelaw from his prison in Steithbury Rough.  The effect sundered him causing shards of the god to be spread across the landscape.  Ultimately, this resulted in the final death of Holelaw and the introduction of the God of Music, Morris. 

In 4741 the great devil incursion took place around Brassford, led by the Arch-Devil Kronos. During his rise, he brought back the Cult of the Red Dragon, who attempted to resurrect Malefon,  gave a foothold to the Druids of the NIne, manipulated the timeline, and started a feud with the Arch-Devil Dispater. The Pride of Liefen waged a war on three fronts: with the Gnomes, in the port of Glass Harbor, and at the battlefield of Brassford. They ultimately won, but there have been hints and rumors of the Blood War ever since.   

Today, the land is governed by hundreds of lords, most of them whose father, or grandfather, or great grandfather were appointed by the last emperor.  They rule little sections of land, the largest encompassing a dozen cities, but most only three or four.  The taint of evil and fear still lingers heavily on the people.  The year is 4766.