History
From Chronicles
"No-one really knows what happened for certain. What little information that we have indicates that magic had long since been forgotten by our ancestors. Humanity had entered a golden age of peace, prosperity and wealth. Scientific breakthroughs came one after another and many of the things that we take for granted were invented. The sciences of cybernetics and bionics flourished, robots and power armor became commonplace and mankind took its first steps towards exploring beyond the edges of our solar system.
Obviously, something went wrong. The scholar Erin Tarn would have us and everyone else believe that magic somehow returned and caused the end but we know otherwise. Ten years ago, an archaeology expedition just outside of our city walls discovered the 'Super Mastiff': A manned combat robot belonging to the old American Empire. Examination of its data tracks has enabled us to fill in a few of the blanks concerning our past. Unfortunatly, two hundred plus years of burial destroyed as much of the data as we recovered and much of it has been lost forever. Not to mention that as a military robot it was only able to give us a limited understanding of what was going on. There were precious few indications of culture on board except for a few photographs.
Someone fired the first shot. We do not know who was responsible or why it began but it quickly escalated into a conflict that swept the entire world. Within hours we believe that multiple countries unleashed nuclear weapons and other devices of mass destruction. All drew upon their allies to do the same and before long much of the world was in ashes and the worst was still to cmoe
Now, much later and with our knowledge boosted by teachers from other worlds and self-discovery the sciences of magic are well understood. We know that every single living being has a small bit of magic energy inside of them. Some people cultivate it to become sorcerers, some never know it is there. Magnified and released at the moment of death there are those who kill for it as well. Most of the time it is harmlessly absorbed into the air and land around the dead person. Knowing what we do now, we believe that this near-armageddon war was responsible for bringing magic back to our world.
The deaths of millions, possibly billions near simutaneously released many folds more energy than the planet could cope with. Ley lines, corridors of raw mystic energy tore across our planet. Geological instabilities and worse followed them. Volcanos, earthquakes, hurricanes and all manner of destruction did much to reshape our planet in just a few hours. It is said that the emergence of Atlantis created a tsunami event that levelled much of the globe's coasts – all of these natural events of death and destruction releasing still more magic energy and fueling the cataclysm even longer.
Eventually, the Earth found a new equilibrium and the destruction ceased. Survivors, lead by an armed organzation known as NEMA began to dig themselves out of the rubble and take stock of what was left. For a short time, a sullen silence descended over the few percents of the population that remained; broken only by the frantic digging of rescue attempts. And then it began again.
People began to exibit strange powers: Psionics and magic re-emerging in the population. Where ley lines intersected, rifts; tears in reality and time opened. Gateways to other worlds they spewed forth all kinds of daemonic horrors into the world. Against all odds, NEMA struggled to stem the tide. They were unsuccessful, for the most part. Though small detachments remained, one by one the population centers of humanity fell and the dark ages began. It was not all demons and monsters that emerged from the rifts. Kind explorers, mighty warriors and wise scholars of a hundred races have since come to our world. Perhaps it was some of these that enabled humanity to keep a small, feeble light on in all of that darkness.
One of those detachments was stationed at a base in what was called West Plains, in the old state of Missouri. This was almost three hundred years ago, and we do not know if they stood or fell. That the Big Dog was found abandoned and intact does not speak well for the fate of these men and women. On the other hand, West Plains eventually grew to become the ctiy of Kingsdale and so it is possible that they succeeded in their goal.
Regardless, the dark ages began. three hundred years of humanity strugglging to cope with its new situation. Earth had become a dimensional gateway and humanity, so accustomed to being alone, found itself surrounded by hundreds; perhaps thousands of other intelligent species. The few surviving communities, West Plains among them quickly established themselves as neutral city states. Two powers though, emerged greater than all of the rest.
One, a state of mostly humans – a technological powerhouse built on the ruins of the city of Chicago. Possessing weapons and armor greater than those of its neighbours, it quickly united the surrounding lands under its banner and became the Coalition States. The other, an alliance of many species – all united under the use of mystic energy: The Federation of Magic. Despite what they would have you believe, neither side were saints. One believed in humanity above all others, the other consorted with the very demonic powers that ruined our world once – believing that they could control them in the name of 'good.'
Eventually and inevitably, the two great factions came first to disagreement and then violence and outright war. Years of bloodshed largely resulted in a stalemate, with nether side achieving victory. The effect of the war upon the Coalition States was traumatic. Deeply scarred by the unspeakable horrors that they were shown by the Federation's mystically enhanced troops, they took the step from 'humanity before all' into 'humanity and nothing else'. A once proud society became paranoid and distrustful of its own citzels. Education of the past became illegal, possession of any sort of non-regulated (and thus propaganda free) educational materials banned. Magic in any way, shape or form became illegal. Any users of magic, along with any race that is not human are shot on sight.
The Coalition Emperor, Joseph Prosek has used his people's hate towards the Federation of Magic to create himself a tempered sword to advance his own believes and exponentially increase his own power; all under the delusions that he is doing what he must to protect his fellow man. If it is not human, it is against humanity. If it is consorting with magic, it is against the Coalition. If it is against the Coalition, then it is no better than the non-human. The Federation of Magic bidees its time, both factions staring at each other across armed borders. There are other places of concern too, including Lalzo and Tolkien – great cities of magc. The Xiticix hivelands – maruading alien insects that devour anything in hteir way. Across the great seas, it is known that humanity in Europe survives in the form of the New German Replubic.
Kingsdale sits on the border of Coalition territory. We are an oasis of magic, human augmentation and education. With a fifty percent population of magic users, and a transient population of up to thirty five percent non-humans it is not surprirsing that the Coalition repeatedly threatens our people and way of life. To combat this, the Dictator has instituted laws that state that every citizen of Kingsdale must serve a minimum of two years in the armed forces and I am sure that this is the reason that most of you are here. The Coalition is not our only worry. To the northeast is the city of Whykin, human supremicists that are in every way as bad as the Coalition themselves. It has been suspected for many years that Prosek has been slowly but surely corrupting them against us. Once, we used to trade with them. Now we do not even maintain the trail to them; and we stare at each other through the scopes of our rifles. To the northwest is Laramy, the one small ally that we have – a small town of hard working people and the gateway to the great wilderness.
Kingsdale in every way sits upon the edge of a precepiece. We are here to make certain we do not fall over. How are each of you going to do your part, for your home?"
--Scholar Gerald Canning, at a political rally.
