The First Great War

Eons ago, the world thrived in relative peace. The lands knew no great wars, only occasional trade disputes settled through diplomacy. Kingdoms rose and fell on the merits of their leaders' wisdom. This era, now called the Time Before the Burning, was an age of innocence: humanity had not yet glimpsed the terrible power slumbering beneath the world's surface. Most nations went about their lives in careful isolation, unaware that everything was about to change.

In the ancient city of Tulimsur, scholars uncovered something that would forever alter the course of history: the Mana Seed. This crystalline artifact, pulsing with otherworldly energy, was not merely a stone but a living conduit to forces beyond mortal comprehension. Those who touched it felt power surge through them, granting abilities that defied the natural order. The only way to access magic was to be imbued by direct contact with the Seed. The process was irreversible, poorly understood, and experienced differently by each person affected. The Seed itself seemed to have a will of its own.

Tulimsur was led by enlightened elders and progressive scholars. They believed magic should be shared openly with humanity, saw the Mana Seed as a gift from benevolent gods, and studied its potential for healing and creation.

Courtlyn was a secretive city-state of scholars and warmages. Publicly, it appeared to support shared magical knowledge. Behind closed doors, it studied magic's destructive potential and worked toward dominance. Its leaders believed only the worthy should wield such power and conducted dark experiments to weaponise the Seed.

When Tulimsur's leaders finally discovered Courtlyn's true intentions, it was too late. The First Great War was unlike any conflict before or since. Entire cities burned under magical firestorms. Rivers boiled. Forests turned to glass. Mountains crumbled. Ordinary soldiers were helpless against the imbued. Legends speak of a final confrontation where the heroes of Tulimsur forced a decisive reckoning. In the chaos of that battle, the Mana Seed was shattered into fragments that scattered across the world. These fragments cooled and crystallised into Mana Stones: smaller and less volatile, but still carrying immense power. Courtlyn was destroyed completely. Millions perished. Magic became feared and taboo. The Mana Stones were distributed across different kingdoms so that no single power could ever again wield absolute magical dominance.