Ascenda: The Rising

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Hey there, fellow STEEMers. A couple of years back in 2015,while going through a rough patch, I had this idea for writing a fictional novel. I never made past a couple of chapters after this due to my college. I tried to distill out the high fantasy aspect that includes magic and a large number of characters, from popular fantasy novels, such as Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series. The following is a rough layout of the universe in which the novel was to be made. Pardon some of the obscurities.Your suggestions would mean a lot. Looking forward to your valuable inputs.

"When they first entered Cregon, it changed the course of our history. When they entered our world again, it changed the very fabric of our reality”
-Chapter 436, Scrolls of Wicarus.

And you thought creatures of your fantasy existed in the pages of fiction.
A small, vibrant continent sits on top on the Sanguine Ocean like an ink-blotted rug on still waters. It is a microcosm of the modern world, where its ever changing climate, sustains diverse flora, fauna and culture all in the same landscape – Cregon. At the heart of the continent lies a culturally rich and thriving civilisation of Ascenda.
To its west, lies the Forbidden Barrens. True to its name, the land is mostly barren, flat and dusty. The only form of vegetation are baobab, acacia, glochid, cacti with occasional patches of yellowish-green shrubs. To add to its thorny misery, is the scorching heat of the sun and the sand storms - swift, abrading and so formidable in its path that the fetid, pungent odour of the carcasses are a delight in comparison. The monotony of this parched wilderness is broken by its diverse wildlife.
One would encounter darter Snakes, dragging its virulent, dart-shaped tail across the sand in a concertinaing manner, as it tries to impale its prey; or blood vultures, circling around like winged messengers of death, clawing and lacerating the less aggressive fauna such as the Candorian llama, Kangaroo Rats and Ceith Tortoises in the Boreal desert.
At the very top of the food chain are tiger hounds and fang behemoths. They stride across the desert, with their sharp fiery eyes and scythe like fangs, in slow, steady footsteps as the entire wildlife bows down to them.

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The northern region, Azurin, is, in its own way, a freezing magnificence of nature. Its flora consists of river larch, willows, sun cypress, winter's elm, all wrapped in the sparkling, white sheets of ice. The ice giants glimmer with rays of sun in the gravel-grey sky. The sunset gives the impression of a one-eyed ogre with a fiery, crimson glow dozing off to a trance-like state. When the sun goes down, Azurin is a dream indeed, but harsh for survival, especially the northern part. When darkness crawls in, raging blizzards blow in the “Shivering Forest” - making one's body tremble feverishly and teeth rattle with numbness. Eventually, one's life is sucked away and before long, a cold, pale sensation crawls into the spine and winter's funeral song lulls them to an eternal sleep
Despite its chilly winds or the harsh wildlife, few tribal groups have survived the landscape like the famous White Fire Children and Silver Snow Clan. Legend has it that the white fire clan started with a few lost children, who had first survived the wrath of Azurin. Groups of young children made a bonfire out of animal bones which gave the flame a resplendent, white hue.

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It was as if they were reborn from the flames. The Silver Snow Clan and White Fire Children are at constant war with each other. Yet, their stories of terror are mostly about Azure Lichs or “Demons of the forest”. The glowing, murky skulls are infamous for creating mirages and luring many tribesmen into desolate areas, before stealing their life force. Those who are found alive, lose their ability to speak, hear or move – rendering them as a living corpse. The wildlife is concentrated mainly in the western part of Azurin where whitewolf, arctic raven, snow fur hare break the silence of the night sky. A more cynical pair of eyes would just see vast stretches of white land with occasional steepled contours propelled towards the sky at great heights. But to a poet's eye, it was a treat.

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The “Laughing Mountains” in the south east acts a border which marks the end of Azurin. The ranges are mostly smooth, except at the peaks which resemble the curve of laughter.
To the south-east of Cregon, lies Skeironia – a vibrant and dazzling canvas of nature – utopian green with specks of magma red, smouldering orange and molten gold. Occasionally, armies of twirling cloud drift towards the celestial fireball enveloping the sky above and coalesce into growling thunderclouds above the majestic grey mountains merged with the red, glowing mountains of Hellglen. Soon, they turn into pouring teardrops, dancing and prancing in the breeze. The array of sounds creates a soothing music as they bounce off the petals of rhododendrons, strumming against the leaves, thrumming off cobblestones till they seep through tiny crevices of moist, green earth. The small, habitable northern part of land is called "Gentle Ember", due to its gentle, pleasant weather and optimal conditions of living which gave rise to a large number of gentle tribes such as Rage Arrow, Eurusan and Kraten and smaller groups of tribes and nomads. To the west of "Gentle Ember" lies the Sanguine Ocean, where angry, frothy cascades smash against the obdurate rocks while the gentler waves brush against the stoic sandy coast.

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The eastern part of Skeironia is called, the “Screaming Abyss" - for here, the wind doesn’t blow, it howls. To add to the chaos, was the roaring foiled lightning in Cirau Valley, with its golden, contorted forks trying to pierce the sky and split our world in half. Occasionally, they startle the gentle wind so much that they rush in swift, strong circles - sometimes uprooting vegetation and wildlife in its path. Common folks believe that all forms of wind - from gentle breezes to mighty storms rise from Skeironia. To the extreme south, lies Hellglen - a charred, flatland comprising mostly of basaltic rocks which owe their existence to glowing rivers of flame, oozing from the lips of hellfire. Glal Volcanoes and Bleeding Apex are the longest ranges, while the tallest among them is the Raging Soul Peak. Thousands of years ago, above these very peaks, living furnaces soared high in the sky and murdered the looming darkness of the night sky – dragons, they were called. The Iron Hill Tribes are the natives of Hellglen - dark skinned and feral with distinctly large, bloodshot eyes. Their violence were unmatched by an any other tribal groups in Cregon. Rumour has it that tribal children were seen playing games with human head. They were particularly, skilled with spears and precision knives.

At the centre of Cregon, the four landscapes ascend to a rich, fertile mainland. On this mainland lies our homeland - the empire of Ascenda.
Ascenda consists of five major kingdoms - Thiviel, Morin, Wathia, Stosal and Ogeron.
Thiviel is known for its vast, expanses of farmland and agricultural centre.

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Morin is responsible for our rich cultural heritage - various forms of music, art and dance. Stosal has the biggest armory in entire empire. Weapons ranging from small domestic knives to large battle-axes and greatswords glowingly rise from the furnaces of Orana. It was named after the famous Stosalian blacksmith who started this forging industry in the Era of Rebirth. Ogeronian barracks train the most elite soldiers of Ascenda and transform them from peasants to gallant, skilful warriors. Their mage-halls are known for creating learned mages out of common, illiterate men. Morin is located towards the north of “Gentle Ember”, and was named after Morana, the Cregonn Goddess of art and music. Vast reserves of gold are found in this region. Morin is located to the east of empire and has a large number of port towns. The winds from the east and volcanic ranges in the south create a balance in temperature. Morinian music is legendary and is considered the language in which the Gods speak to men. Every year, musicians and artists are invited to the Ascendian capital- Wathia, and various contests are held. The five kingdoms are invited to witness this diverse cultural exchange. Prizes include horses, jewellery and of course, gold.
Rarely, these occasions turn into chaotic exchanges of jeering and cursing and the contests have to be suspended.
But the capital never fails in its more than generous serving of frothy Wathian ale and sparkling wine - so delicious that the contests merely become an excuse for the folks of the four kingdoms to rush in on this auspicious occasion. The capital, apart from its jurisdictional recognition, was famous for the, monumental, Haerford banquet hall, six-storeyed, one which could fit a hundred thousand men and women all under the same roof.

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Yes, fire-breathing dragons, giants, orcs, elves all existed in our world. Eleven thousand years ago, in epoch 200, they were sent by the Devil himself to wipe out humanity. Many mages believe that they rose from a certain Necroium-Aslite ore found across several continents. They were called “Decessus”. The presence of Necroium -Aslite inside Ascenda, was considered an ill-omen in that era, due to the fact that sacred books like “The Testament of Odar” and the “Scrolls of Wicarus” mentioned Belial use its liquid ore to burn the sinners eternally in the broiling depths of Raezo. It marked the beginning of the “Dark Era”. When they entered our world for the first time, we threw away our belief that hell was this fiendish ordeal of existence in eternal pain and the devil jagging us back to our broiling pots, every time we tried to leave – we were living in one. The fetid air and smothering atmosphere were a perfect haven for those who worshipped darkness. People woke up several times during the night startled, agitated and unnerved. Whether it was the soaring furnaces up in the sky, broiling our skin or fanged giants shaking the very foundation of our buildings with their dreadful thumping, every breath we took was a living agony. Adding to our misery, was the choking smell of burning sulphur, decaying corpses and rancid ranks of flamed bushes. Humanity had given up hope, and was on the verge of being wiped out. Few years later, a blessing from the Gods had trapped a part of their souls in scroll artefacts and stored their location in “Book of Rebirth. We weren’t there to witness dragons falling from the sky and turning into ash, or to see minotaurs dying in slow rattling gasps. But historians had painted a vivid picture of the day the lives of our tormentors were choked out of them through the “Eyes of Judgement”. The rest of their souls gave birth to five demi-Gods – “The Mages of Light”, who swore an oath to protect humanity from damnation. The five mages ascended into the sky above us and blessed an eroded piece of land turning it into a rich, fertile plain, today known as Ascenda. Every hundred years, the five mages choose new leaders to replace them as “Mages of Light” in the very spot where the first five mages were chosen. Because there were a few hundreds of us left after the attacks, a blessed Aeon barrier was created to prevent further annihilation. No one but the Mages of Light were allowed to go beyond the barrier till humanity were restored to their original numbers. If anyone dared to move out, the creatures were to be released back into our world. A prophecy was made –
“When they rise in scores
Aeon Shalt fade,
After Tens of,
a thousand decade”

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The barrier was to be lifted by the five chosen mages ten thousand years from the Dark Era. It was a blessing, a gift from the Gods that represented the importance of preserving human lives. Ever since the era of rebirth, wars were fought not only with iron, but also natural calamities summoned by men. We had witnessed first-hand, the power of Gods vested in these ‘mages’, who created firestorms, hurricanes and tidal waves out of thin air. These were termed as Arachnims, which roughly translated as “disaster” in ancient Cregon. Arachnims were considered sacrilege due to deliberate destruction of nature. It was believed that through Arachnim summoned by mages, they lost a part of his souls. At best, it would enervate them for weeks. The worst possible consequence was death.

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Each year, the ‘Mages of Light’ gathered in the Caerangard council hall, located at the centre of the five Ascenda lands as a symbol of truce. The “Mages of Light”- Ailean Flaron, Aandra Rayne, Harailt Fulgon, Dogar Circon and Giraud Bulder led the council of mages along with the kings Gervese of Thiviel, Falco of Morin, David of Wathia, Morpheus of Stosal and Balthazar of Ogeron. Knights and other mages of minor position, are also a part of this council. For generations, they discussed political matters and topics concerning the welfare of the five lands and protecting these against the evil lurking outside.
Between Ascenda and Aeon lies a few miles thick Narwich border where armies of Ascenda and mages standoff against relentless attacks from the enemy – savage clans like the White Fire Children from north, Skull Warriors from south, giant snakes whose venom could rot flesh within a few seconds, hounds twice the size of a lion, blood vultures with occasional blight, disease and natural disaster like tornadoes, fire rain and hailstorm. Enemies outnumbered us hundred to one and with each battle they grew stronger. Ascenda was blessed with “Eyes of Judgement”, an azure-blue tourmaline crystal which gave glimpses of the past to its bearer. Each year could be seen only but once. The bearers made detailed records of the vision, today known as the “Scrolls of Wicarus”.

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One year before the Era of Rebirth ended, after a council meeting in the Caerengard, King David of Wathia announced a banquet to celebrate the glory of Ascenda and to honour the Mages of Light for their contribution towards the empire’s growth. According to the “Scrolls of Wicarus”, Belial’s minions had murdered the king’s wife Artimisia as a ploy. On a full moon night, the king was deluded by an Azure Lich, which had tricked him into believing that Artemisia was beckoning her from across the border. After a brief period of struggle with reality, he finally gave in and stole across Aeon before the prophecy was fulfilled.
Bedlam broke loose. They flew in again like the last time in packs, growling; their roars breaking the silence of night like a clarion call for the condemned. Their tales were horrifying enough; their presence felt like an inescapable nightmare. Choking clouds of dust filled the pitch-black atmosphere. Shrill cries of women and children echoed from the horizon and after four days of pandemonium and dance of light and dark, they crippled our psyche. Many citizens stabbed themselves to their own death, saving themselves from this misery, while others sat in the dust, laughing psychotically, as rivers of crimson red dripped into the war-worn soil. War broke out between the demi-Gods and half-demons. For every mage there were thousands of them. After days of reckless battle, The Mages of Light came up with a plan. Strivingly, they summoned Arachnims, one after another and after thousand miles and a fortnight later, they had cornered the beasts in five locations of the dark artefacts. Exhausted, the mages struggled one last time till they gave themselves up through enormous glowings orbs. The energy released trapped them and merged their souls back with the artefact, but this time with the souls of the mages scattered. Ailean captured them in the Glal Volcano, Hellglen; Aandra in Shivering Forests, Azurin; Harailt in Cirau Valley, Skeironia; Dogar in the Screaming Abyss and Giraud in Boreal Deserts. Detailed records of these events termed “The Second Ascension”, were written in “Epoch 300: Dark Era”, an English translation of Chapter 437, Scrolls of Wicarus by Izunaxx.
They taught the world about real sacrifice, the one made out of love and duty. Their tales are told every year in Cathedrals of Ascenda, to remind us that heroism is not something tangible and cannot be specified with a fixed set of parameters, but something we all recognize when we see an act. Heroes believe there’s a light at the end of every tunnel, when everyone else is blinded by their own misfortunes. They look at the bigger picture, when our myopic vision doesn’t allow us to look beyond ourselves. Most importantly, they give things up.
Roughly 1000 years for this event, in epoch 210, an emperor from Dronar, visited Cregon to learn about our culture and heritage. One of our kings had gifted him, a Morinian ring and Necroium-Aslite sword forged in Orana, with sockets for precious gemstones and rings, one that rang of true metal. When he was told the tales of beasts and mage, he laughed at our us with scepticism and how these tales were a ploy to attract tourists. On his way back, as he rode through Skeironia something terrible had happened. Next morning, the Ascendian soldiers found them and their horses brutally slaughtered. A few bodies were disembowelled, others were torn apart limb by limb as if by some beast and all that was left of their blood were dry patches of reddish-brown scattered in the dry clay. The king’s arm was recognized by the ring on its finger.
Our tale doesn’t end here. In fact, this is just the beginning of events that will change the very fabric of nature and what we see as reality.