Zakath/Dirketh
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
- Main Article: Zakath
Dirketh is a primitive and magical world existing in an alternate universe created by me (@Alistara Theraslayne). Dirketh has an extensive history, a lot of which cannot be described here (otherwise the page would never end). If you want to know more about it, send me a message in game and I will be happy to inform you.
Contents |
Dirketh's Evolution
—Excerpts from the Kethi Histories, Courtesy of the Historical Libraries and Archive of Kingdom Trinoma
The Beginning
In the beginning, there were the beings known as the Ancient Ones. Many were they, yet the Lords Iur and Herth, and the Ladies Tilesea and Aira did govern closely their Creations. Many did they create, but one World was favoured above all the rest: the world of Dirketh. It was this World that the Ancient Ones would bless with their mighty presence and power. The vast Ocean was the first to be created by Iur, who did declare Himself the Sea Lord. Then was the Earth pulled from the deep seas by the Ladies Tilesea and Aira and the Lord Herth to create the Land that would be named Ethelas — the Enchanted Land...
... And then did the Ancient Ones turn Their thoughts to the creation of life. All manner of natural Life was created, followed by the Beasts, aquatic and land. And finally was the Race of Man born. The last to be created, and the farthest from perfection. And then proclaimed the Ancient Ones Their refusal to control the Destiny of Man. Thus was it decided that the Race of Man shall deliver the World unto Darkness or Light...
The Trinomans and the Mortal God
... And created He the Meridean Ambrosia, the Fruit that would bear the Seeds of Corruption. Then did the Accursed One steal the Fruit from its Master. Consumation infused the Accursed with the Power of the Ancient Ones. The Mortal God is born.
The early humans of Dirketh resided as part of the Dallian Empire, concentrated in what is now "Haunted" Dallia. Iur, the creationist that He was, created a single fruit called the Meridean Ambrosia, an enchanted fruit that could bestow the powers of the Ancient Ones upon anyone that consumed it. A human clerical zealot named Gamius Taros learned of this item and stole the fruit from Iur, empowering himself with that of the Ancients themselves. With this act, Gamius became known as the Mortal God.
With his new-found deification, Gamius began to expand his malicious ways across the Dallian Empire. He founded a rebel faction called the Revenant Coven and led them in small raids against the Dallians, eventually declaring that he would be destroying the Dallian Empire, Iur and Tilesea, and seize control of the world for himself. Through the courage of a man named Alistair Jerod, the Revenant Coven were defeated and the survivors of the war fled from Dallia to the red deserts on the other side of the world, founding the kingdom of Trinoma.
The War of the Ancients
... Failure in Dallia disgraced the Mortal God so. Corrupted he the Emperor, forsaking the Worship to the Ancients and declaring war upon Karidea and Trinoma. Declared the Mortal God war upon the Ancient Ones themselves. Thus began the War of the Ancients...
With Gamius' failure in Dallia, the Mortal God chose to act indirectly to gain world power. He first manipulated Emperor Ursus Graul into abandoning his faith in Herth, converting the emperor's worship to Gamius himself. Unable to control the Emperor of Dallia, Herth was eventually forced to leave. With Herth out of the way, Gamius forced Ursus to begin attacking the Kingdoms of Karidea and Trinoma, while he, himself, attacked Iur and Tilesea directly. This triggered the start of the War of the Ancients.
Birth of the Karidean Empire
... His beloved Karidea, assaulted relentlessly by Dallia tore at the Sea Lord. Driven by love for His Karideans, the Lord Iur acted in haste. To the deep Waters did He send his beloved Karidea, their mighty Kingdom sunken into the vast Ocean, forevermore...
With war raging between the Dallian Empire and Kingdom Trinoma, and a separate war brooding between the Ancients and the Mortal God, the world of Dirketh was pushed into total chaos. There were no independent nations staying out of the conflict. The nations that the Dallian Empire controlled sided with the Dallians. The Karideans, Raeli and even the Kaelin sided with Kingdom Trinoma. A world war was raging and it would not end unless the Ancients put a stop to it.
Driven by Gamius, the Dallians captured Karidea and systematically began eradicating the helpless Karideans. When word of the atrocities committed against His beloved Karideans reached Iur, He quickly annihilated any Dallian occupier in Karidea and created a special barrier around the Karidean lands. The Dallians unrelenting, the Sea Lord was forced to destroy the land, sinking it into the waters forever. From this moment forward, the Karideans would no longer fight the Dallians from the ravaged earth, but would combat them from the brutal seas that was now the Karidean Empire.
Lysean's Gate
... A War within War waged over Majestic Lysean's Gate, a private war between the Ancient Ones and the Mortal God. Desperation consumed the Lady Tilesea to ensure defeat the great foe of Dirketh. Thus did she sunder Lysean's Gate, trapping the Mortal God in the Abyss created...
By the time the Empire of Karidea was established, the world had been at war for several years and the fighting was not looking to end. Eventually, Ancients were forced to lend their aid to Kingdom Trinoma and their allies in the fight against Dallia. With the Ancients backing the Trinomans, the tide of war changed hands. The Trinoman Alliance ultimately secured their victory over the Dallians with the sack and razing of Castle Dallia, but the true victory would not be realised until Gamius was defeated.
The Ancients and Gamius engaged in a battle that took them all over the world, ultimately ending at Lysean's Gate, a natural border separating Darconia and Capo Dante from the Kaelin Sanctuary. In a desperate act, Tilesea sundered Lysean's Gate and the two Ancients beat Gamius into the black abyss, claiming victory over the Mortal God.
Aftermath
... Imprisonment of the Mortal God ended the War of the Ancients. The Pride of Dallia, destroyed by enemies of the East and of the Empire, perished. Born of the ashes, the five Kingdoms of the West...
With the defeat of Gamius and his Dallians, the destructive War of the Ancients had finally ended. The Darconians, a part of the Trinoman Alliance, utterly destroyed what was left of Dallia, including the Dallians themselves, and dismantled the empire. Five new nations were born on that day: Xeragos, Galadis, Theos, Desther and Denia. Dallia, itself, became home to a new race of creatures: the Xalem. The presence of the Xalem begun the spread of rumours of a land haunted by the extinct Dallian race, a rumour that earned Dallia the name "Haunted" Dallia.
All that remained of the Kingdom of Karidea now was the territory of Karamar, which now served as a port between the East and the West. Aside from Karamar, the Karidean Empire was completely sealed off from the outside world. The East remained largely intact, save for the dark abyss that served as Gamius' prison, which had been named the Black Abyss. New alliances have been formed, but since Gamius was not killed by the Ancients, only time will tell when the world is once again forced into war.
The Races
Major Races
- The Trinomans
The Trinomans are the primary super power of the Kingdoms of the East, settled deep within the great red desert. Originally part of the mighty Dallian Empire, the Trinomans were forced to flee from Dallia, aided by their Patron Goddess, Tilesea and their courageous leader, Prince Alistair Jerod. Trinoma is currently governed by a ruling council called the Crimson Council. Trinoma owns the territory of Crescent Castle.
- The Darconians
Darconia is home of the warlike, savage Darconians. The Darconians are open worshipers of the Mortal God and have been actively persuing the retrieval of his body. The Kingdom of Darconia is under the rule of a totalitarian monarchy.
- The Karideans
The Karideans are the sea-dwelling humans of Dirketh, residing deep in the center of the Karidean Ocean. Land-dwellers at one time, the Kingdom of Karidea was sunk into the ocean by Iur the Sea Lord to protect it from falling to the Mortal God during the War of the Ancients. No longer adaptable to living on the land, the Karideans now claim the vast ocean as their empire.
- The Kaelinei
The Kaelinei are a tribe of intermixed humanoids and creatures. Created by the Ancient Aira, the Kaelinei tribe consists of centaurs, dryads and stone golems. The massive centaurs act as the guardians to the Sanctuary and the dryads. The dryads are the servants of Aira, led by a single dryad chosen to act as the High Priestess and vassal of Aira Herself. The stone golems are created to patrol the Kaelin Sanctuary and ensure that no one crosses the boundaries of the sacred wood. High Priestess Dalen is considered to be the leader of the Kaelin Sanctuary.
The word Kaelinei is an ancient term meaning Gift of Nature.
- The Xalem
Main Article: The Xalem
The magical Xalem entities were once the humans that resided in the lands of the fallen Dallian Empire, nearly wiped to extinction by the Trinomans shortly after the War of the Ancients. With the inability to save their race, the Dallians chose to forsake their humanity and give themselves willingly to create a new race entirely, giving birth to the Xalem. The Xalem claimed Dallia as their territory, a territory that would soon come to be known as "Haunted" Dallia.
- The Raeli
Often called a "Queendom", Raelia is the only nation in the world ruled by women. Raelia provides the only means of transportation to the Kingdoms of the West outside of the Kaelin Sanctuary. Raelia's current ruling Queen is Queen Tyra Raleus.
- The Denians
The Denians are an archaic lot, forever building large castles and riding their warhorses throughout the land. They are the world's leading weapon and armoursmiths, in control of the vast dirium deposits located in the Black Isles. Denia is ruled by an absolute monarchy under their king, King Uther Haldoraan.
Minor Races
- The Theri
- The Gals
- The Theosians
- The Xerii
The Ancient Ones
The Ancient Ones are the creators of Dirketh and the most widely worshiped beings in the world. Originally intending themselves to be figures of mythology, the Ancient Ones have emerged from legend and begun to walk with their beloved humans.
| Ancient | Totem | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Iur | Leviathan | Patriarch of Dirketh, Lord of the Seas, Patron God of Karidea |
| Tilesea | Raven | Matriarch of Dirketh, Lady of the Land, Patron Goddess of Trinoma |
| Herth | Wolf | The Beast Lord, Patron God of the West |
| Aira | Stag | Lady of the Wood, Patron Goddess of Raelia and the Kaelinei |
| Gamius* | Serpent | The "Mortal God", Patron deity of Darconia |
*Gamius is not a true Ancient. He is considered a deity by theologists due to the open worship ceremonies of Darconia. In addition, all texts originating outside Darconia do not capitalise any words referencing him.
