The history of the Land is not well known. For example, little is known of the Land prior to the advent of the two great world powers of antiquity.
The reason for this is that the history of the Land is the history of humanity in the current age. Until 3000 years ago humans had no written language. Thus what is known prior is based on an oral history and is unreliable.
What is commonly known, outside of the Library of Taran is the following:
Two great empires ruled much of the Land. In the southern continent, The Solisan Empire, ruled with an iron fist. In the great forest of the middle continent, the aloof Great Elven Kingdom vied for power with the Solisan. In both humans, dwarves, halfling and gnomes were little more than servants to the Animalis and Elves.
Approximately 3,000 years ago, around 2,000 B.U. B.U. (Before Uprising), the The Solisan Empire suffered a great cataclysm. What caused the cataclysm is lost to history. The results are not. Solis transformed from a lush tropical paradise into a harsh wasteland. Remnants of the great magic remained as did packs of ravenous otherworldly creatures that killed with impunity.
Today the remnants of Lost Solis are in the trading town of Kabah. Few seek out the fabled Library of Taran that rumor speaks contains the lost knowledge of Solis in the wasteland. For the former servants who survived, most escaped east or to the Great Forest. For the Animalis many ventured east The Fallen Republic of Nokan and a few journeyed to the northern continent to dwell amongst the barbarians. Nokan was a colony of The Solisan Empire in the far east. It became a trading haven and outside of the north, the only country with Animalis as the dominant race.
With the fall of Solis, the only remaining superpower was the Great Elven Kingdom. With the influx of people from Lost Solis, the elves reinforced a rigid caste system that promoted the few and oppressed the many. It was also during this time that the elves built great works of cities and temples within the Great Forest that spaned the entire middle continent. While the elves were the artisans, the other races were the labor.
Then a little over 1,000 years ago the humans grew to a number of almost ten to one to the elves. Much of the Great Forest was cut down and reduced to farmland to feed the burgeoning populace. It was the humans who once again served under the harsh justice of the elves. These conditions led to a violent uprising. The Uprising as it is now known lasted almost ten years. At the end, a new age dawned. The age of men.
At the end of The Uprising, the elves were forced to take seclusion in a handful of cities in the Great Forest. Men are of course fickle. Where they promised freedom, they brought kingdom. The strongest of the humans forged kingdoms where the elves once ruled. Those kingdoms were Kingdom of Valin, Kingdom of Heterland, The Fallen Republic of Nokan and The Fallen Kingdom of Utarn.
The dwarves took over the mines where they toiled under the elves. Disgusted with the turn of events, the dwarves sealed Mountain Kingdoms of the Dwarves. Gnomes and halflings established communities within the human kingdoms. Though they were not in charge, they did have greater freedom than under the elves.
One other power flourished with the fall of the elves. The people of Osweg in the northeast part of the middle continent were subservient to the elves but remained apart due to the geographic divide Crystal Mountains. Osweg took advantage of the Uprising to throw off the yoke of the elves. Being one of the few places to effectively trade with the barbarians of the northern continent as well as the human kingdoms, Osweg today remains aloof and independent. The rumors of the nature of Osweg’s ruler, Queen Benefecit grow each year as she has ruled for over 1,000 years.
Thus, a relative peace existed for a thousand years. The northern and southern continent were relatively unexplored due to hostile people or devastation. Trade throughout the world was dominated by the longships of Oswegr the caravals of Heterland. The five human kingdoms of the middle continent became the de facto world power. Beyond border skirmishes, people knew little of war.
With continued deforestation, the elves became more insular in their shrinking forest. Today, only pockets of the great forest remain. The subjects of the kingdoms avoid such forests and whisper that one day the elves may return. This is despite most have never seen an elf.
Like the elves, dwarves are infrequently seen. However, merchants do travel to the borders of Mountain Kingdoms of the Dwarves and bring dwarven wares to many.
With the destruction of the forest and the lack of the protection of the elves, the middle continent became an unsafe place. Monsters abound everywhere. Bandits seek fortune on the roads. Squabbles between feudal lords are frequent. As a result, those who are fortunate hide behind the walls of human cities or towns. This leaves the smaller communities to fend for themselves.
The current age is one where an adventurer is admired. Those brave enough to go outside the walls and confront the darkness of the age are richly rewarded by the lords and communities of the middle continent. This is of course because few are actually foolish enough to do it.
With this backdrop, there is but one more part of history that must be told. It is well known and dominated nearly conversation. It is the modern history of the Infernal Empire.
No one know who summoned The Diabolus. For while there are many agencies of evil, many diabolical creatures, there is only one in the Land known as the Devil. His appearance became known thirty years ago when he conquered and subjugated The Fallen Republic of Nokan.
His silver tongue fooled the kingdoms. He convinced their couriers and ambassadors that he was like them - throwing off the shackles of tyranny. While he told them this, he built an army. With this army, no less than three years ago, The Diabolus invaded and conquered The Fallen Kingdom of Utarn. The attack was brutal and quick.
Now the kingdoms are fearful for what comes next. Some argue that the now called The Infernal Empire is at the size that expansion is not possible. Other argue the kingdoms must unite to defeat this threat. Nothing has been decided. All that remains is endless debate and fear.
What comes next shall be another part of the history of the Land.