Long have the Lallafellen plains folk lived in burrowed hobbit holes near the surface. Villages sprawled across the plains, seeming like little more than hills to those who weren't perceptive. The lallafells were the only race that lived in the area, welcoming travellers to their homes and offering up some meals if need be. Life on the plains was peaceful and full of magic and study. That's is, until the first breach appeared 450 years ago.
The one that all the kingdoms know about was the major one that tore through the strongest empire, allowing for alliances to be forged and Kingdoms to rise, and stand amongst the others to fight the monstrosities pouring out. There was, however, a smaller breach; insignificant to others but the lallafells, a small troupe of beasts came forth causing the sages from all the villages to gather their might and fend off the creatures. Any and all able bodied magicians were to stand and fight, driving back the small forces through the breach and then utilizing the leylines the villages are built upon, to seal the portal.
It was at this time that many decisions had to be made, several sages scoured their scrying pools for any signs of breaches across the lands, plans were being made to expand the villages down beneath the soil and create a new life below, weapons that were long since put away were now drawn and ready to fight. The sages located the major breach at the empire and noted it may have been the birth place of this magical portal between realms. Those with magics of the earth were bound to stay behind and help with construction of a new home underground, along with a quarter of analytical mages, and a quarter of those versed in warnings and barriers. The rest took arms and set off to help fight the enemy on the front lines.
The few who could created portals of their own, utilizing the scrying powers of water mages to better visualize their targets, taking small jumps so as to not wear out the mages nor cause them to 'over cast'. Once they finally arrived, the lallafells scattered across the empire, each equipped with magical earpieces to communicate, they took positions where needed. Fortifying gates, doors, and barriers; erecting mystical wards to help stave back the onslaught to afford the soldiers brief reprieves, as well as fighting along side them. The Dark Knights wove shields of darkness to encase allied soldiers from harm, they used their dark arts to attempt to weaken the beasts as well. Healers ran to those in aid amongst the chaos of war and helped to magically stitch together the wounds of soldiers, offering them succor. Mages with combative elements fought and those who could would control the battlefield. As they fought they prayed, though not like most, they did not ask for power, strength, guidance, nor knowledge, no they looked up towards the skies and said "Look at me Ardur! Look at what I have accomplished! What your children can do!"
When it was all finally over the Lalafells went back home to find what is now known as "Allag, The False Kingdom."
Hidden amonsts the rulings hills of green out in the plains, one might find themselves stumbling across something unseen. Hidden by illusionary magicks are small round entrances, magically guarded, that lead into Allag. Allag is the kingdom of lalafells, comprised of all their villages now buried deep underground to hide themselves from the sight of others. The entrances are camouflaged with magic to make them seem like mundane hills; if someone was to accidentally stumble upon one of the entrances it would set off a silent alarm at the scrying pools, showing the intruder and which entrance they are located at.
These safety measures were all taken after the first Breach appeared. Alongside these measures are a series of tunnels, many of which lead to nowhere for the express purpose of keeping intruders out of Allag, especially beasts of the breach. Although some places were complacent with forgetting the knowledge of the ancients, dealing with the breaches, lalafells were not. They fortified their armies, magicks, and knowledge in order to be prepared for the next attack. Unfortunately for them not every breach opened near leylines, the only form they knew to use against these demonic portals, making it difficult in the coming years of breaches.
Those who are deemed to be 'safe' are met with a native tour guide. The guide will safely help them traverse the tunnel system, avoiding any traps, dangerous creatures, or treacherous terrain. Lalafells are hospitable race that will welcome you into their homes with open arms and platefulls of food. Though extremely kindhearted, this small race is also known to be quite mischievous, pulling pranks on any they can, some harmless and others not so much. It is never good when a lalafell grins.
Lalafells tend to be on average 3 feet tall, making River the tallest. The short stature is matched with lean but rotund bodies. This causes them to dress in similar fashion, opting for looser fitting clothing that is capable of hiding their shape. Lalafells, although short, have an amazing vertical jump, able to clear a 5' jump with ease; whether this is via magical means or not has yet to be determined. All Lala's are gifted with magic even as a babe, and can wield it in a variety of ways, so much so it is what crafted this Kingdom.
Allag is a lively and bright place to be in, full of hard working people as well as a tight knit community. The weather is typically always perfect, summers have just the right amount of heat and 'sun', spring is always cool and full of colour, the fall has just the right amount of crispness to the air, and the winters snow and waters freeze yet the temperature is never unbearable. This is all, of course, magically regulated as it is all underground.
The False Kingdoms role in the fight against breaches is both a fairly simple, and complex one. Being an army of devout casters with a myriad of abilities, they have taken the role of 'Support' in the fight against the breachers. Their main army, represented and headed by River Fontaine, is 98 strong. The army is divided into 14 individual groups, each with their own means of communication with each other and River. 13 of the groups are comprised of one tank, typically a Dark Knight or Paladin, who help to mitigate the damage taken on the front lines, using magic to sheild others and bolster their strengths, four damage dealing mages that range anywhere from bards, black mages, elementalists, analysts, and much much, and finally two healers who tend to have analytical magic as well as healing magic to quickly identify weak points and critical spots of monsters as well as on those injured near by so that they may best heal them. The 14th team is lead directly by River, his personal assortment of mages who deal in wardings, barriers,and other defensive magics. Each mage is to watch over one of The Seven Kingdoms armies from afar to help get a better assessment of the fights and assist as needed. The only Kingdom without a barrier mage is The False Kingdom, overseen by River who will bark orders at the 13 other groups to help his own people as well as others. Though River will join the fray of battle, he utilizes his divination magic via hydromancy to asses the battle field while in combat.
The Grande Circle is the platform in which all the hard work and training is put forth. The False Kingdoms disciples congregate atop the stone mass, littered with runic marking to help ease the physical strain of casting, to practice their arts for as long as their bodies allow. Each citizen having their own aspects to draw from, their own magics to work on as they wish. It is said that on this platform, Ardur watches over his children to see how the strive for their own knowledge and power, unlike those who wish to attain it with minimal effort. Once someone has achieved a milestone they can be proud of, they walk up the Steps of Enlightenment and reproduce the effect for Ardur, showing him the fruits of their labor so that he may smile upon them.
Ardur: God of Magics and the Arts
Temple Location: Magiee (ma-gee)
Ardur is the God of Magic and the Mundane. In his mortal realm form, Ardur is the shortest of the God’s standing at a height of just six feet tall. His attire is a simple white robe with an equally simple hood that falls way too far down his back. While every form of magic is known to him, he will very rarely divulge his knowledge to those that flock to him for information. Magic is a gift, something that needs to be learned through trial and error in the mind of Ardur and much too dangerous to be taught to those who have no notion on how to control it. Magic in the hands of a vengeful vagabond leads to tragedy while magic in the hands of a trained wielder rarely does.
Ardur will also turn away any who come to him for assistance with whatever questions or comments relating to their art. To him, art is not about the final product before you but rather the journey you went on creating it. Furthermore, as experienced over the years, those that come to seek his advice are not true followers of his message. His followers will instead gift him their art, be it a painting or a song, and expect nothing from it but the applause of a grateful god.