THE SECOND AGE: Inzeladun was brought out of the Black Years by a Dwarf wearing the Dragon-Helm of Dyrlumin. The Dwarf, named Ulnorn, brought the Helm from the Fauglith Stronghold, where it had been forged and magiked, and brought a shortsword named Esgalduin from the Mirdayn Elves. Ulnorn came from the mountains with his followers and began to reteach the Humans certain arts. Man's Civilization was being rebuilt. Ulnorn enlisted the aid of the Dragon, Bahamut, and overthrew the current High King (Jarron Imrukson). Ulnorn then set up each of the city states as seperate nations. The kingdoms were called Aleene, Orfis, Siskomin, Mamon, Elenam, Vale, Melie, and Emakla.

Ulnorn took both the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords and the throne of Morgidin as his own and ruled the Dwarves for 100 years before he was slain by Balim in his palace under Morgimek during the Dagur-Farthrovarr, the second of the major battles of the Wars of Morgadin, which was fought for 10 days, where the Orcs were slaughtered and driven back. Dorvak II Ironfoot ascended the throne of Morgidin. A great warrior, Dorvak first won fame by killing Ahzhogg (Tagathrim's lieutenant) using the Horn of the Pedestal and knocking down the Gates of Farthrovarr and leading an army into Elenam, the valley kingdom that guards the Dwarven Kingdoms, and slaying Ahzhogg and his Orcs.

No one knows what happened to the Horn of the Pedestal after this. It has disappeared. But Dorvak now had the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, which was forged by the First Dwarven King in the fires of a Volcano. A man by the name of Calen befriended the Dwarf. Calen was a mage that Dorvak had rescued. Calen served as Dorvak's court wizard for years as a result. Calen used a magical necklace that he called Thrainamek to work many wonderous spells to aid the Dwarves in times of need.

A priest from lands south from Inzeladun, called Stygia, came to Inzeladun at Tagathrim's request. Tagathrim was a terrible Orc lord, who kidnapped the priest Amenhemet's children. Tagathrim had heard that this priest of a god called Ra was also a minor alchemist who had discovered a means of eternal youthfulness. The priest, Amenhemet called this amazing brew a potion of Longevity. Amenhemet came to Inzeladun with a large retinue of followers to serve Tagathrim, in exchange for his children's safety.

The Wars of Morgadin continued on. The Wars of Morgadin were great conflicts between the Orcs and the Dwarves. The Orcs, trying to conquer the Dwarven Halls, were led by Tagathrim the Terrible. The Wars of Morgadin were marked by six major battles. The Battle of Ahzhogg and Dorvak was the first and has already been mentioned. The Dagur-Farthrovarr was the second, where the Orcs were driven out of Morgidin through Morgadin. The Orcs came back for a third battle known as Dagur-Balbek. The Orcs won that battle, so Dorvak II Ironfoot, King of Morgidin and hero of the Battle of Ahzhogg and Dorvak, instituted the Siege of Adgak-Tokdoj, closely patrolling the Gates of Farthrovarr and watching for any movement out of Adgak-Tokdoj, the Orc camp, toward the South. When the Orcs did attack, they were observed in time and destroyed during the fourth battle, called the Battle of Farthrovarr Gates. Calen the Mage died during the Battle of Farthrovarr Gates. (Calen, a Human, was given a traditional Dwarven burial. His necklace was given to Dorvak, according to Calen's dying wishes). Then followed the Long Peace, when there were only minor forays on the marches of Morgadin. During the 99 year Long Peace, Tagathrim, the Orc Leader, gathered his forces, bred his monsters, and tightened his control over Melie, a small Human Kingdom. The Dwarves worked hard on their defenses during the Peace.

Amenhemet, Tagathrim's unwilling helper, had managed to convert a large number of Inzeladunians to his religion. Amenhemet, 110 years after his "capture", decided not to work with Tagathrim any longer. Tagathrim, unwilling to give up his potions, responded by kidnapping Amenhemet's great great grandchildren. Amenhemet died trying to rescue them.

In the 93rd year of the Long Peace, a warrior from Vale found the ancient ruins of an unknown age. He found a sword of magic there. The sword was made of a metal unknown to him and was forged in a style that was strange. The sages believe that this warrior, Nadam of Vale, found an old Narbonean castle, pre-dating the advent of the Elves. Nadam used this weapon for the good of his home and his king, and was eventually rewarded with the title of Lord Nadam, Champion of Vale.

Working with captured Gnomes and halflings, Tagathrim created the Goblins and Kobolds. In the winter of the last year of the Long Peace, Tagathrim sent forth flames which burned all Elenam and the slopes of Mamon, killing and driving away the Human cavalry that the Dwarves had recruited. With the Seige of Adgak-Tokdoj broken, Tagathrim began the fifth battle, called Dagur-Dakek. The Morgimek and the Pass of Ulnorn were held, but the Dwarves and Men of Mamon were decimated, enabling Tagathrim to take Morgadin at his liesure.

Tagathrim sent his major force to assault the Morgimek, but the Dwarves, under the leadership of Dorvak, were prepared. The raiding Orcs in Morgadin were hunted down and destroyed, and Dorvak attacked Tagathrim's main army on both flanks, destroying it on the Ulnorn Plains. But Tagathrim had a backup plan. An unexpected army of Goblins and Kobolds attacked the Morgimek, capital of Morgidin, from the south and laid waste to it. Dorvak barely escaped and he and his followers hid in a cave.

Deeming his victory complete, Tagathrim rested his forces. At last Dorvak managed to gain the aid of the Humans and Elves of the Northern Kingdoms. The Humans were led by a warrior named Nadam, Champion of Vale. The Elves were led by Janfief the Swordsman. In the final struggle of the Wars of Morgadin, the Host of the Northern Kingdoms destroyed Tagathrim's forces in the Great Battle. The forces of the Northern Kingdoms and the Gnomes and Dwarves of the Southern Kingdoms wrote a treaty and became the Union.

Lord Nadam, Champion of Vale, and Sha'a the Elf undertook what is called the Voyage. Together they circumnavigated the continent and mapped its coasts for the first time. The Voyage took nearly six years to complete. Lord Nadam, Hero of the Great Battle in the Wars of Morgadin, returned to his homeland of Vale with tales of Barbarians, Giants, and riches beyond belief. He and Sha'a sold their maps to cartographers, resulting in Lord Nadam building a castle to live in. Sha'a, a very young Elf, spent his money in education, learning how to read and write several Human tongues. Later the youthful Elf disappeared into the Unknown Lands, only to return years later with maps of the interior. Lord Nadam married and had three children (1 male and 2 females). The son was named Nadam the Second. The daughters were Valyrani and Sha'ara.

Sirrus the Great spent several years hunting down evil dragons until he was killed by Rargad the Red Dragon. Lord Nadam, Champion of Vale and Hero of the Great Battle in the Wars of Morgadin, continued the hunt after Sirrus' death. A Blue Dragon named Garythem, using powerful magic, entombed Lord Nadam in suspended animation. Rargad invaded the Dwarven Realms and slew King Dorvak II Ironfoot. His son, Dorvak III, took the throne.

The Good deities conspired to devise a means to easily control the out-of-control evil dragons plaguing Mankind. They created the Orbs of Dragonkind. Yogath Hob, a very evil diety, changed the magical forces involved so that the Orbs would affect all of Dragonkind.

The Lord of the Tower stepped down and his apprentice, an unknown Human, stepped up.

Nadam the Second, son of Lord Nadam, Champion of Vale, married and had 7 sons. The first son was named Nadam III. Nadam III became a powerful mage, but was unfortunately seduced by a female Vampire in his 30th year. Lord Nadam III, heir to the lands and castles of Lord Nadam, Champion of Vale, became one of the Undead.

The first Staff of the Magi was created by the seventh son of Nadam the Second. This mage, named Dramak the Mercenary, would sell his magic for profit. He created over 100 of these staves in his lifetime, as well as Staves of Power, and many of the magical wands used by mages from here on through the ages. Dramak also travelled to other planes of existences and brought back many spells from these other worlds. He introduced to Inzeladun Bigby's spells, Mordenkainen's spells, Tenser's spells, Melf's spells, Tymessul's and Mysiblis' spells, and the spells of Alamir, Maximilian, and Abi-Dalzim.

The Dwarves found a sapphire of massive proportions. Called the Great Sapphire, it magnified magical energies. Humans, eager for power, bought it from the Dwarves. Over the next centuries, Humans began to worship the Great Sapphire, and a great cult was formed with a disguised Sapphire Dragon at its head.

The next major threat to the Union, now a thousand years old, was the Alliance of Rargad the Red Dragon (now a Wyrm of terrible repute) and Eldacr the demonic. The men of Mamon, aided by the Dwarves of the Union, were defeated by the forces of Rargad and Eldacr. Both the King of Mamon and King Dorvak III Ironfoot of the Dwarves were slain.

Rargad later betrayed Eldacr and slew him, taking the lands of Mamon for his own to rule. But a Powerful warrior named Ollephane rose up an army and attacked Rargad's evil forces. Ollephane, using a magic spear named Aetur, won and Rargad fled. Ollephane became the new King of Mamon. He hired the young Sha'a to teach him philosophy and to be his court advisor.

Lord Nadam III (the Vampire) was driven away from his ancestral home and was buried by some brave adventurers.

The Cult of the Great Sapphire was gaining incredible political power in the Union, until the Great Sapphire was stolen. Diviners across the Known Lands attempted to find it and/or its thieves. The Thieves of the Sapphire were never found, and the Great Sapphire will not reappear until the Eighth Age. The Cult folded and its members found other gods.

King Ollephane and Sha'a attacked and destroyed Garythem the Blue Dragon and rescued Lord Nadam (nearly 1100 years after his capture). Lord Nadam, unfamiliar with the new times, underwent new education at the hands of his old friend, Sha'a.

Amandil, a powerful witch, took over Orfis and set himself up as the Witch-King of Orfis. Tardan, heir to the throne of Orfis, went to Mamon to seek aid in overthrowing the Witch-King. King Ollephane offered his armies upon Sha'a's recommendation. Lord Nadam was also recruited, again on Sha'a's recommendation. In the Battle of Orfis, the army led by Tardan utterly defeated the Witch-King, annihilated the Witch-King's army, and broke the power of evil in Orfis. During the Battle, Lord Nadam fought Amandil. The Witch King, in the heat of Battle, cursed Lord Nadam. He cursed that Lord Nadam would die, yet live, forever as a force of evil, living off of the living, forever creating more undead, until a great king decides, without outside influence, that Nadam is worth restoring. The Witch-King then slew Lord Nadam. Ollephane slew Amandil the Witch-King halfway through the Battle. Because of the curse of the Witch-King, Lord Nadam would rise again after his burial as a Vampire. But not a blood drinking Vampire like his grandson (Nadam III), but a Vampire that feeds on willpower and life-forces.

King Ollephane married a young Human female and had three children, Ollephane II, Faerthim, and Thara.

The gods of Evil, Good, and Neutrality gave the Artifacts of Might to each of their Champions. The Paladin Yhas was given the Crown, Scepter and Orb of (Good) Might. Harmanian the Myrmidon was given the Evil set. and Uthinda the Sorceress was given the Neutral set.

The Codex of the Infinite Planes was found by Thasslume the Conjurer. He used it to gain access to the Elemental Plane of Earth. From this plane he brought back an incredible crystal, the Crystal of the Ebon Flame. Thasslume was soon found dead, his soul damned by the Codex to some terrible fate. The Crystal was taken by his apprentice, Heward. Heward, a musician as well as a beginning Mage, used the Crystal to build a powerful, magical Organ.

Paladin Yhas, sixth king of Breshan, was slain by a very evil Arch-Mage named Vecna. When Vecna grew in power he appointed a most evil and ruthless lieutenant to serve as his body guard and right hand. This Henchman was the Lord Kas, and Vecna gave him a powerful weapon, a long and thin blade of dull gray metal that was magical and intelligent. The two of them terrorized all the land and put down many uprisings. Vecna, an old man by now, used a long lost formula from the days of Angust (or before) to turn him into one of the Undead, a Lich. Kas eventually, centuries later, at the behest of his sword, betrayed the Lich. In the Battle of Sudden Flame, Kas and his sword slew Vecna, but the evil Lich also destroyed Kas. (Historian's Note: The kingdom of Breshan is an unknown kingdom upon Inzeladun and most sages doubt it has ever existed here, nor did Vecna and Kas. Most historians believe that this tale has passed to here via planar travellers and over the centuries the fable became considered to be historical fact. It is a fact that two artifacts, a hand and an eye, do exist from this age and both are said to be the remains of Vecna. This is doubtful. These macabre relics are most certainly the remnants of some other lich whose name is lost to history. Indeed, the Sword of Kas used by Dagor Khan during the Fourth and Seventh Ages probably did belong to Kas and was brought here by Grindill during the Fourth Age and did not originate here.)

During Vecna's reign, Ollephane died and left his son, Ollephane II, the throne. Ollephane also married a Human female and Ollephane III was born. 100 years later, Ollephane III took the throne. It was during Ollephane III's reign that Vecna died. Advisor Sha'a the Elf remained court advisor for all three reigns.

After Adlon's death, which occured 150 years after he took the throne of Emakla, a noble by the name of Lord Ardalan took the throne. During this king's reign, a new threat appeared. A new kingdom arose, the Kingdom of Ithen. Famous for its horses, Ithen produced an incredible cavalry. The first cavaliers were the Riders of Ithen. The new kingdom of Ithen attacked Emakla in its North Province. The Riders of Ithen defeated the North Province army. Ollephane III of Mamon sent his Advisor to Lord Ardalan to help him. Sha'a led the counter-offensive himself. As the Riders celebrated, Sha'a the Elf led the South Province army and attacked and defeated the panic-stricken (and unprepared) Riders in their own camp. This battle ended the Ithen threat. King Ardalan rewarded Sha'a by giving him the North Province to lord over. Lord Sha'a, the first Elvish ruler over humans, became a very popular ruler. He kept an organized and efficient province and made King Ardalan a wealthy man.

A man from the Northern Province, Lindil, had a mage enchant his favorite sword, a bastard sword he called Narzil. He then spent years travelling the Known Lands (and even had a few adventures in the Unknown Lands) helping the helpless, befriending the friendless, and defeating...the defeatless.

Lord Nadam III resurfaced again and took over an old castle and its surrounding villages. He became known as "a kind and gracious lord". But in actuality, he was very cruel to his subjects, demanding their lives and their blood, as well as their hard work. Lord Nadam III would utterly destroy their spirits so that no one would rise against him. He allowed no priests into his land, for that could give his people hope. But on pain of death (or worse), everyone had to say Lord Nadam III was a kind and gracious lord. He ruled this land for well over a thousand years, until the priest Dalvirnar drove him out.

Lord Nadam the First, once the Champion of Vale, was also active. He wandered the known realms, using his vampiric powers to create other Undead of all types (not just other Vampires). When Vampire hunters began to get too close (and too powerful for him, a mere fledgling, to handle), he disappeared.

A blue dragon usurped the tomb of Dorvak, taking the treasure as part of his own hoard, including the Necklace of Calen, Thrainamek. But Lindil slew the blue dragon with Narzil, a mighty bastard sword of great power.

A new country emerged, a country called Nanduhiran, and Evil Balkoth, a Pit Fiend, was the King. Balkoth overran Emakla with his army, but the good folk pushed back. The Northern Army, led by Lord Sha'a and his steward, attacked Balkoth and his army, but the latter was reinforced by a horde of Orcs. The Northern Army was surrounded, but as the invaders were preparing to massacre it, Ollephane III and his army swept down from the north in answer to a previous request for aid and routed the enemy.

An explorer named Gaxx Hartnell found an extraordinary ring in some old Narbonean ruins. With it he became a remarkable thief. The ring allowed him to become invisible, to be able to see other invisible objects and to have an uncanny sense of where traps were located. He could use the ring to pop in and out of places, and he could destroy anything he couldn't unlock or defuse. The ring also made him immune to anything cold. He also began to eat almost six times as much as he used to. As his thieving career went along, he became infected with lycanthropy. Eventually he was killed for attacking a cow. His ring was sold by the farmer who killed him.

A cleric, a thousand years later, got a hold of Gaxx's Ring and used it to accomplish many things for his gods. The cleric's name was Dalvirnar. The gods themselves granted this highly successful priest of the Good Dieties many powers. Dalvirnar went to the lands of the infamous "kind and gracious lord" and ousted Lord Nadam III from power. He thought he had killed the Vampire, but Lord Nadam survived and merely disappeared from human knowledge for a while.

Dalvirnar helped the good Princess Ehlissa gain the throne of Siskomin from her evil older brother. He also helped create a magical Nightingale to help her rule. Ehlissa loved birds. This Nightingale, forged by Moradin and enchanted by Dalvirnar, allowed Queen Ehlissa to create both food and water when she willed. She could also walk across bodies of water as it sang its song. Its eyes could spray colorful sprays of light that had various effects on things. Its songs could also heal the wounds of the hurt. Its songs could create any emotion and could cause people to do things they wouldn't normally do. Queen Ehlissa became quite corrupted from all this power. She bent the will of all to her will. She ruled for five centuries before she was finally brought down. A bard by the name of Yisend refused to bend to her will. She had him killed. His spirit refused to die, however, and possessed his instrument -- a recorder. The recorder, lying in the throne room where Yisend dropped it, began to play a haunting melody. The Queen began to scream. Her aids ran to help, but it was too late. Her bones had been changed into some sort of slime or jelly.

Baron Lum of Siskomin used a strange machine left by the Narboneans of Prehistory. The strange machine had a booth for mansized creatures to operate its 60 levers, 40 dials, and 20 switches. He used this machine to gain Queen Ehlissa's now-empty throne. Then, using the Machine, he caused the downfall of Melie, adding it to his budding empire. He then used the Machine to take the lands of some barbarian chiefs. He then took the valley kingdom Elenam almost up to the Farthrovarr Gates. Following that acquisition, he took Vale. Emperor Lum found a way to use the Machine to extend his life. He ruled the Empire for close to a thousand years as a good and beneficial dictator. Then something happened. Lum went mad. For over a century, Lum the Mad ruled the Empire. His general, Leuk Otan, found Lum's journal. He travelled to the same area that Lum found the Machine. Leuk Otan returned to the Empire in a giant, towering automation. This mighty servant helped Leuk Otan destroy his emperor. General Leuk Otan tried to rule the Empire, but the Barons of the Empire decided to rule their own lands. Wars spread across the Empire for the next eleven centuries.

A Wizard, tired of the constant warring that he grew up with, simply grew to power and took over. Named Tuerny, he quickly gained the nickname of The Merciless. He used a magic Flask of Iron to help him maintain control. He also used it to stop the processes of aging. He ruled the now unified Empire for 3000 or more years. Peace and prosperity spread across the lands. The arts became more important than wars and weapons. Magic use became more widespread and people began to use their leisure time to explore philosopy and the powers of their minds. Psionic powers became known to man. Great psionicists became commonplace. The priesthood, however, was not too tolerant of the psionicists. They used propoganda and terrorism to cause the fall of the psionicists. Tuerny the Merciless politically maintained a neutral standpoint in this conflict, but in truth, he felt the psionicists were in the right. The priests felt that psionicists made the common man feel that belief in ones own abilities could save them, rather than the gods. After centuries of peace, war ripped apart the Empire once again. Tuerny decided to destroy the priests. The gods became angry and caused the Spirit of the Iron Flask to be loosed. Tuerny the Merciless was found dead, his body shredded.

Warfare and revolution tore the Empire apart. Libraries and galleries were burned. Artists, philosophers and, when possible, psionicists were burned at the stake in towns controlled by the priests of the Empire. The same happened to priests in Psionicist areas.

Years passed and decades went by and finally the winds of war died down. Civilization was at an all time low. Defenses were down, and the populace was weary of fighting.

Then, from the unknown lands across the Seas, came a navy of red-haired sailors and plunderers, who called themselves Vikings.