Many races inhabited the world of Volain, but two were especially powerful and well respected. Dragons, the great winged wyrms and kalchi, the large and fiery-winged elves were held in awe by many. The races worked well with one another for the most part. There were territorial skirmishes and religious wars, but for the most part, matters never became too out of hand, or the dragons or kalchi would become involved and end the dispute.
Then the seed of evil was planted, and a horrible blossom bloomed. Jen'lith, a kalchi, and Denthov, a mighty dragon, began to sway their brethren to a new course. Instead of mediation and compromise, they taught anger and superiority. Why live with those who should be serving you, was a common attitude. Without any warning, many dragons and kalchi descended upon the people. Thousands were slain, homes demolished and lives ruined in the pursuit of power.
The other races had been caught off-guard at the beginning, but they now began to rally together. At this time, the good-hearted minority between the dragon and kalchi worked together as well. The other races were successful in their efforts to maintaining their lands, and in fact took away all of the holdings of the dragons and kalchi. There were rumors of good members of each race helping out, but those tales were soon discarded and the two most powerful races were driven into near-extinction. The dragon and the kalchi vanished from the face of Volain's main continent, Olerax.
There was speculation that the majority of those two races fled to other continents or islands. Some believed the races extinct, while most would speak of a solitary dragon or kalchi somewhere on the continent, holed up from the rest of the world. After the land was soaked in blood, the soil again turned crimson. Greed, jealousy and simple hatred arose. Sects of people banded together for their own causes, and eventually these parties became clannish or tribal in nature. Eventually, something more would come of it.
Kingdoms arose and many fell over the passage of time. Years passed, and several of the kingdoms became the mainstays of the realm. Sometimes ruler ship passed from generation to generation; sometimes a greater power or event would expand a person's reign indefinitely. The inhabitants of these kingdoms argue, war and constantly make life more difficult on one another, with no end in sight. Alliances are made and broken, just as conflict is often started and only resolved with victory.
A wise man once walked the lands, and spoke of events to happen in the future. At first he was deemed a madman, but years later, all but one of his predictions came to pass. The remaining one is the prophecy people fear most:
"Upon the wings of future hold, the story of all has yet to be told. Again the winged ones will appear, and yet again they shall spread fear. When once again war rages the land, the time of tests will be at hand. Though this time the sides will not be clear, friends and allies both be near. Wary be the watchful eye, keeping track of evening sky.
Flames will dance - the stars shall fall, battles will then be fought by all. The silence will hang heavy in the air, even I know not how all will fare. The signs will come to those who wait, but none control the hand of fate. The hand is played and dice are tossed, now we await the Kingdoms of the Lost."
Here are some other links you may find interesting:
Character classes
Explaining the kingdoms
Races of the world
Understanding the religions
Our story archive