The Splinters and the Ancient Ones

It has been nearly a thousand years since the Great Splintering that tore the world apart.

The event itself was so destructive that very little remains of that which came before, but somehow life has continued to flourish and the Ancient Ones live on. What was once a single great land mass is now six Splinters, each with cultures and customs of their own. It is rumored that the Splinterlands are not the only lands on the planet; that there is a vast, unexplored wilderness on the other side of the world.

Many of the titanic monsters of old found extinction long ago. The ancient Giants, who had grown too ambitious, were defeated by the people they were so desperate to control. The power-hungry Titans were destroyed after centuries of bitter war by the Dragons, who continue to thrive today. As the most powerful monsters on the Splinterlands, Dragons grapple with one another for control of everything.

The six Splinters have, in the course of a thousand years, grown in magnificently divergent ways. Each is quietly watched over by one of the Ancient Ones, who together in the Cradle of Time created all life on the planet. The Ancient Ones have grown apart through millennia of trial and conflict; they have only recently been reunited through the Gloridax tournaments of Mount Mox.

In the Earth Splinter of Anumün, the Spirit of the Forest watches over a diverse flock of creatures such as Goblins, Humans, Elves, Centaurs and Dinosaurs. She is one with the Eldest Tree, and though she can take any form she wishes and travel where she pleases, the majority of her time is spent in the secure embrace of its branches. She loves her people with all the love a mother can feel for her children, but fear for her own survival has driven her into seclusion. The Eldest Tree is hidden in the ominous and impassable Hungry Wood, along with what remains of the River of Wisdom.

In the Life Splinter of Khymeria, the great Goddess Khymia rules her people from a palace in the clouds. It is said that she crafts each Khymian from divine light with her own hands. None living can witness her pure light and live, so the most advanced priests of the Order of the Silver Shield must astral project themselves to the temple in order to commune with Khymia. The history of Khymia and the Order that was created by her will is a sordid tapestry of mystery and often ruthless conquest.

In the Burning Lands, the Elemental Phoenix soars quietly through the night sky, often setting the noxious air ablaze with her wings of flame. She is a watchful protector of the land and all the Ferexia who live upon it. Efreet, Cinder Elves, Kobolds, Serpentines and all the creatures of Fire live under the protection of the Pheonix. Although she no longer communicates with the Torch, they always strive to do her bidding for the good of the Burning Lands.

The Water Splinter of ΛZMΛRÉ is the most lawless and chaotic of the six. For centuries since the Giant Rebellion, its people have shunned rule in all its forms. The Ancient One known as the Frost Giant does not interfere with the lives of his people, but spends his time raking the salt wastes that are gradually threatening to dissolve the Splinter from the sea. Chaos reigns supreme, but against all odds, the people of ΛZMΛRÉ enjoy technological innovations of incredible brilliance.

The massive continent known as Mortis is also commonly known as the Death Splinter. There, feared universally by the living, the Dark Eternal collective thrives under the rule of the Lord of Darkness. Through their massive missionary efforts, the Dark Eternals convince the living to sign the Dark Contract. The souls of those who sign are immediately delivered to Mortis upon their death, where they start upon the long and arduous path toward the Dark Eternity.

The smallest, but mightiest Splinter is Draykh-Nahka, where the Dragons reside. It is an unforgiving desert full of savage predators, and the skies are fraught with wild Lightning Dragons that slaughter indiscriminately. In the city of Centrum, the Dragonfolk live a rigidly ordered life of bureaucracy, protecting the Fire Blood with all their policies. The united Gloridax worship Helio, the Ancient One who created the Dragons in the Cradle of Time. They await his glorious return, when he promises to take the Glory Worthy to the Golden Moon for the rest of time.

The Splinterlands have certainly grown further apart in the time since the Splintering, but the time may soon be coming when as a whole, they are tested against the outside strength of a great enemy. Refugees from the other side of the world are now arriving in greater numbers than ever, beaten and traumatized by the Nameless Evil. The prophecy says “That which was Splintered shall be made whole,” but will the people of the Splinterlands prevail against a greater threat? Time will certainly tell, and the Ancient Ones will fight to the last.

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Artwork by @candycal and Serge!
Edited, formatted, and text dividers (all but the last one) by @carrieallen.

Lore written by @chrisroberts. He and his wife @carrieallen are currently finishing up the backstories and lore for all the Splinterlands, and working with @zipporah to complete the book. He will be offering sneak peeks, accompanied by brand-new artwork created by the Steem Monsters Team. Both Carrie and Chris prefer you refer to them as The Masters of Lore.😎

The Team is currently building up to launch a Kickstarter for the 150+ page campaign guidebook. Keep on the lookout for announcements and more inside scoops about the Splinterlands.

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