The Races of Avendar, Chapter I: The Alatharya
An excerpt from the Races of Avendar, an in-game text found in the school of heroes, this chapter covers the alatharya.
Alatharya: Section 1 The alatharya are reputed to be the oldest of Avendar's sapient races, and their history stretches back to the dawn of mortal life. According to legend, the alatharya were once the chosen people of the gods, gifted with both phenomenal strength and formidable intellect. Using these gifts, the alatharya spread throughout the world, creating a civilization of mythic proportions. How long the alatharya remained the masters of Avendar is unknown, but the magnificence of their creations has lingered into the present. Ruins of their ancient empires are still found in remote regions of the world, monuments that have withstood the elements for millennia. However, the alatharya were not destined to remain the lords of the Prime. Using the magic that the gods had bestowed upon them, the alatharya grew mighty in both the knowledge of Avendar and the study of the planes. Unsatisfied with the limits placed upon them, the alatharya dreamt of conquering all of the multiverse. Alatharya: Section 2 Delving into the powers that upheld the Prime Material, the alatharya began to tap the quintessence, the source for both magic and the planes. When the alatharya attempted to use their newfound powers against the gods, they discovered the true depths of their folly. The mighty Dragon, Tzet-Askhari, warned Its fellow creators of the hubris of the First Race, and the gods turned the schemes of the alatharya against them. Great was the vengeance of the gods, and greater still the punishment the alatharya bore. Legends say that in less than a year, the vast civilization of the alatharya had fallen. Yet, the wrath of the gods went further than simple destruction. The power of magic was divided into elemental spheres, in an event now known as the Sundering. Magic scoured the surface of Avendar in the form of torrential, earth-shattering storms. Holy and unholy creatures were freed from bondage, destroying everything the alatharya had made. alatharya: Section 3 The hubris of the alatharya would be recalled for all eternity by their people, as their descendents suffered the cruelest punishment of all. They were stripped of their vast intellect and grand wisdom, wandering the earth without the wit or ability to grasp the gift of magic that their predecessors had so abused. The alatharya venerated a god they called Elarandan, an amalgam of the religions which had preceded the fall. They carved a lonely existence on the fringes of civilization, and avoided the blossoming of younger races out of a lingering fear of the gods' wrath. They often live as wild people or menial laborers, unable or unwilling to forge true civilizations of their own. In the modern era, alatharya are often looked down upon, as it is known to all the great punishment they suffer for all time. They possess superhuman strength and toughness, which only serves to highlight the great magic they once possessed. What few alatharya strongholds exist lie within the far reaches of the Rirro Jagka, the Crimson Sands, and other particular desolate or wartorn regions.