From a speech made by the Prophet Samroth, concerning the discovery of the Books of Law.
It is written that at the Dawn of Time the Gods dwelled in the world and imparted much of their wisdom to the wise amongst the mortal races. Then the Gods left Enshar to walk amongst the stars and they left the Darvinor, ranked highest amongst the Elven folk, as their custodians. But the Darvinor were hungry for knowledge that was kept from mortal races and they led the children of Enshar away from the enlightenment of the Gods and so brought down the Darktime upon them all.
For an age of unaccounted years, utter chaos engulfed the world and all that was learned was lost. Then hope was rekindled in the form of the legendary Books of Law, three great tomes that contained the lost beliefs and rituals of the twenty-seven religions that had existed before the Darktime. The scattered tribes of the Humans were united in the northern continent of Eldoria and a new enlightened era began, the Age of the Redemption.
Two thousand years have passed since the discovery of the Books of Law and the nations of Men now dominate Eldoria, from the frigid realm of Char-Endl, to the exotic desert lands of the Theocracy of Y'sira. They have unlocked the secrets of steel and stone but their ascendancy has been very different than our own world. For in Eldoria, Man has also learned the secrets of Magic, resulting in a reliance on arcane power that has retarded the emergence of science. Combined with the suspicion and secrecy that the abundance of religious institutions apply to any new discoveries, Man has remained locked in a quasi-medieval level of technology.
Yet Man is not alone in Eldoria. The Dwarven Stonekin once dwelled in mines beneath the great mountain ranges, but for many centuries they have been abandoning their old ways and coming to live amongst the cities of Men (though their elders still tell tales of ancient glory). And in the east, the Leezari Elves have recently emerged from a self-imposed isolation from before the Darktime, seeking allies to help them in their eternal war against the Goblinkynd of Ahr-Ganiz.
Civilisations have arisen, empires have come and gone but the temples of the Gods remain constant, involving everyone in their rivalries and machinations. Political intrigue is almost a sport amongst the clergy and a talented individual can keep their purse full by serving the many and varied clandestine causes of the twenty-seven priesthoods.
Yet far from the great cities, there are still places that remain untouched in the modern world, such as the great forests of Llanish Highlands, the impenetrable jungles of Po-Ka or the Outlands, where magic is weak and inconstant. Great fortunes lie in wait for those bold enough to journey there to uncover the relics and treasures of the past.
Eldoria is the new d20 campaign setting from Comstar Publishing; an immersive world of dangerous liaisons, mystery and expeditions down dungeons deep. Adventure awaits..