Rise & Ruin History

Chapter 4: Silent Apocalypse

Upon their return from their most recent conquest to their home in the Ember Plains, the Ralaks realized that the predictions of the prophet Arawn, an ancient ancestor, had come to be - The Rulers had condemned their planet. The world that was once filled with luscious grass, rolling hills, thick forests, and dark lakes had disappeared. The Ember Plains were now dominated by indistinct rocks, luminescent flames, and the detritus of past conflicts. It was a shocking discovery to the Ralaks, who, with their sense of entitlement and arrogant nature, had disregarded Arawn's grave forecast. Forced to collaborate by a world no longer able to support their ravenous appetites, the Ralaks gathered to deliberate their future. Deciding the conquest of new worlds to be the best approach, Simargl, a renowned warrior, dispatched search parties that would not to return until they had unearthed a land that could sustain the Ralaks' growth as a species.

As the search continued, uneasy truces among the Ralaks began to fray. Uncertainty and confusion - foreign concepts to the Ralaks' fostered dissention. They were quick to blame each other for their fall from prosperity. They failed to comprehend the cause of The Rulers' wrath, were bewildered and, for the first time, at open risk of danger. Just as words became blows, the new divisions among the Ralaks were brought to a sudden halt. The scout teams returned with a promising discovery. Orbiting within their grasp lay an unblemished planet, free for the taking.

The planet of Gaia bore a striking resemblance to the Ember Plains of long ago, when the dragons of yore ruled its fertile plains. The planet was not without inhabitants, it was home to the Keldei, but this gave the Ralaks no reason for reservation. The Keldei displayed a strong repugnance to hostility and would be an easy foe to overtake. The Ralaks had invaded innumerable realms and had yet to encounter a resistance force capable of deflecting their powerful advancements. Lord Simargl's trusted confidant, Lord Veles, had ensured victory by successfully, and necessarily, rallying the Ralak to common cause. Success was too important to their survival. This period would define their legacies and secure their existence.