Kaern

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Kaerns are one of the five most populous hominoid mortal races. Their origins go back to the touch of {{#tip-text: Pabschakri |

}}'s blood on the Shards, and many of their characteristics are said to be derived by the dragon. Kaerns have migrated and spread all across Ellevar, and possibly farther, but prefer mountainous and dry lands that remind them of their homelands in the Rhaksathi Wastelands.


Characteristics

Physiology

Kaerns are hominoid creatures, with complexion that varies between the color of rust and dark maroon, in mute, earthy tones, and eye colors that range from amber to dark red, or from ashen white to dark brown.

The average height for an adult Kaern male is approximately 190cm, with the adult female standing slightly shorter at 179cm. Similarly, the average body mass for an adult Kaern male is estimated in the range of 150 to 175 kg, with the adult female weighing slightly less at 120 to 140kg.

The reason behind the increased body weight of Kaerns lies in their skeletal composition and follicular structure. Both sexes of Kaerns lack hair, including body hair, entirely, and instead feature a head crest and skin sprouts - sometimes called scales - of organic stone. Their entire skeletal structure consists of the same kind of organic stone, which is three to four times as dense as bone.

Kaernian physiology is very effective at resisting the effects of heat. The average Kaern body has very little subcutaneous body fat, with the exception of areas around sprouts. Those sprouts, ranging in diameter from 2 to 15 centimeters, are excellent heat conductors; as more heat is absorbed by the sprout, more fat - a heat insulator - settles around its root. When the sprout's temperature has risen sufficiently, the fat seals its root entirely, and the whole sprout is dislodged, often slightly incandescent like a hot coal.

Kaerns do not sweat; a similar gland type is found under the skin, possibly for the efficient spread of heat towards the skin and its sprouts, but their skin is not porous. Given the internal temperature that some Kaerns may withstand, and the heat trapped in sprouts, it is not uncommon for Kaern skin to sizzle or steam on contact with liquids such as water or blood, most often observed as a result of injury.

Naturally, given their relative lack of fat and complete lack of hair, Kaerns do not handle cold climates very well. They compensate the heat loss by an unconscious adjustment to their metabolism, which increases their appetite. A well-fed Kaern can survive even the permafrost, but the relative scarcity of food in such climates drives most Kaerns to avoid cold climates altogether.

Kaerns are particularly bad swimmers, given their average body density is much higher than that of water. Their capacity for holding their breath for three to six minutes is enough for them to cross small rivers, but it is rare to see a Kaern holding a profession that requires frequent access to open sea or deep waters. However, Kaerns are not rock solid, and do not sink immediately to the bottom of any body of water - any flotation aid, such as driftwood, is sufficient to allow them to swim.


Age

Kaerns typically live approximately 70-80 years, with rare cases surviving for 90. Early in their history, Kaerns often found violent death caused by their unforgiving environment, and the lack of mobility that comes with old age was not conductive to survival. With more organized societies, advances in medicine and Etheric healing, and the spread to more tame environments, the average lifespan of Kaerns has increased significantly.

Kaerns reach sexual maturity at approximately 14 years of age, although their society considers a Kaern adult at 16.

Observed at ages 55 and older, the organic stone of a Kaern begins to harden. Their sprouts become more fragile, and fractured sprouts are exceedingly sharp; as risky for self-injury those may appear, however, many older Kaerns utilize them as a very potent last-resort weapon. This hardening per internal stone structure increases the density of the skeleton as a whole, as well as limiting the range of joint motion, resulting in a net loss of agility, and often manual dexterity. Kaerns are never rendered immobile due to age hardening, but those over 80 years old are very limited in mobility.


Diet

Kaerns are omnivorous, capable of consuming an extremely wide variety of plant and animal material. Some scholars point at their ability to absorb some nutrients from certain minerals as well, however, and call them "hypervorous".

Kaerns have a very efficient digestive system throughout:

- Their teeth, consisting of the same organic stone as the rest of their skeleton, are stronger than common, calcified teeth of equivalent size. This allows a greater variety of matter that can be broken down for digestion.
- Their gastric acid is more corrosive, and held at a greater temperature, than that of similar species.
- Their metabolism is highly adaptable to their circumstances, allowing efficiency in digestion without compromising the bodily functions in the absence of immediate sources of food. In a perhaps related matter, some scholars theorize that Kaerns are able to utilize ambient heat for a not-insignificant portion of accumulated energy other species rely on breathing for.

Kaern groups have adopted a wide range of diets, depending on availability and cultural restrictions and, contrary to other hominoid races, rarely seem to suffer from deficiencies based on diet alone. However, Kaerns prefer a balanced, varied diet when possible, and will not hesitate to try exotic sources of food. It is not particularly strange for a Kaern to have a pebble of some mineral stone in their mouth, like candy, although the nutritious benefits they reap from such has been often debated.

Due to the highly effective process of breaking down ingested material by their stomach, Kaerns can withstand the effects of an impressive amount of ingested toxins or similar substances - three to six times the amount that prove disruptively harmful to other hominoids. Although Kaerns are resistant to injected or otherwise applied poisons as well, a trait often attributed to their adaptable metabolism, their cultural approach to ingested toxins, particularly alcohol, makes it a much valued trait.


Psychology

Kaernian brain activity and cognitive processes do not differ significantly from those of other hominoids, and their display of sentience and sapience, as well as the average intelligence quotient per age category do not diversify enough to warrant special mention.

Although Kaernian mental and emotional state varies by personal and environmental circumstances, there are a few observable traits that are consistent enough to be considered racial traits:

- Kaerns are difficult to insult inadvertently and are slow to anger. The racial average response to upsetting stimuli is much more driven towards acceptance (including mechanisms such as laughing it off) and internalization than the baselines of the other hominoid races. However, when they are driven to anger, they seldom manage to contain their fury without at least some display of outward violence. In the best of circumstances, and situations that violence is heavily frowned upon, destruction of low-value items or outbursts against objects that cannot be damaged - such as punching a wall - are main examples of restraint. When violence is justified, Kaerns can reach a state of raw rage that is impossible to control until it has been vented.
- Kaerns are quick to follow simple directions and effective in performing simple tasks, a trait that has likely aided in the survival of the race during the frequent emergencies that their ancestral homelands present. As a generic trait, it drives the race's disposition towards effective craftsmanship and the presence of an efficient, organized military. However, Kaerns will only display such efficiency in following commands when they are issued by an individual they respect, and such respect, or the perception of it, varies. Scholars suggest that this trait used to be more universal, and the judgmental tendencies that modern Kaerns display originate from the rule of Arkos.
- Despite the immense wealth that Kaerns could accumulate through their superior craftsmanship, they seem to consider materialistic behaviors, or attachment to material possessions, transient. They value the accumulation of experiences much more than anything tangible, although that is not to say that they are ignorant of the value of goods, or easy targets for swindling or pillaging. Scholars theorize that this trait is also derived by their ancestral homelands, where a cataclysmic event could cause widespread destruction and force surviving Kaerns to rebuild.

In general, Kaerns are widely seen as rowdy - and sometimes rude - but friendly people, hard to drive to misunderstandings, and generous to a fault to those they like. Their violent outbursts are well-known, and most know how to prevent them; there is even a saying: "Do not drive a Kaern to the edge." Surprisingly, rather than causing them trouble with finding work in more demanding, physical positions, Kaerns are well received; few would risk upsetting a man that has Kaernian bodyguards.

Sleep

Kaerns are typically diurnal. The average sleep requirement for an adult is around six to eight hours per day, but as much as nine or ten hours for children and elders. Sleep deprivation has few physical side-effects other than tiredness and mental fatigue, but each passing day without rest limits the capacity of Kaerns to internalize anger; in effect, they become more prone to violent outbursts.

During sleep, the metabolic functions of Kaerns typically drop sharply. They breathe very slowly, and are generally immobile. It is very difficult to wake up a sleeping Kaern without actual physical injury, although they respond to loud, low-pitch sounds or powerful vibrations with a highly agitated mental state.


Craftsmanship

Kaerns are excellent craftsmen in a wide variety of fields, including metalsmithing, architecture and leatherworking. Although there is a natural predisposition for most Kaerns towards trades that relate to their environment, needs and available materials, there are many examples of traveling Kaerns that have picked up completely unknown crafts and mastered them regardless.

Kaern crafting has been known to utilize any kind of material through the ages, from the most common like stone, metal, wood, and leather, to substances like calcified bark, amber or ivory. The most interesting materials, though, are those that only Kaerns know how to make, with remarkably rare exceptions:

Kaernian Steel
Although Umani and Kaern metallurgists disagree about who first invented steel, it is a widely used material nowadays. Kaernian Steel, however, is more flexible, more durable, and lighter than common steel, as well as more resistant to corrosion. Its characteristic surface patterns resembling flowing water make Kaernian Steel easily recognizable and very difficult to imitate, and is one of the reasons it's highly valued for artistic purposes, besides its more pragmatic traits. Unsurprisingly, items made of Kaernian Steel are the most traded goods by Kaerns.


Tempered Glass
Treated by a process Kaerns call "Ethrenos' Touch", tempered glass is highly resistant to blunt impact and heat. The process to make it is semi-ritualistic, and apparently requires a volcanic environment, so tempered glass isn't as commonly used as its usefulness would suggest, but it is very sought after by those who seek the best they can get and have the wealth to spare. A separate process that tints the glass with color is often used to create murals or other decorations, often for artistic or religious purposes.


Hardened Crystal
Although few crystal types can undergo this process, and they are scarce due to their usage in Alchemical pursuits, Kaerns can harden them and add a degree of flexibility that prevents the crystal from shattering when its structure is challenged. Although still not sturdy enough to create armor or structural designs, hardened crystal is excellent material for lenses, or small bladed or pointed weapons, such as daggers or spears - their sharpness is compared to obsidian, but they do not blunt or shatter.


Orichalcum
One of the rarest and most highly valued materials devised by the Kaerns, the secret to its construction is known only to a few master artisans. The process apparently requires great amounts of precious metals, refined or purified to perfection, with the prime ingredient being gold. for various reasons, including the scarcity of the materials required, the usefulness of gold and other precious metals for artistic pursuits, and the inability for most that would want the material to convince a master artisan to create something for them, Orichalcum items are so rare that most people will never see one. The end result is mostly gold in hue, but rather than a uniform shine it bears a glimmering iridescence and a pattern like Kaernian Steel. Orichalcum is entirely immune to corrosion and can withstand the heat of volcanic calderas. Rumors speak of an Orichalcum sword, "Sunfire", outperforming any sword in resilience and cutting power, and outshining any work of art in design, detail, and brilliance.


Squama
A material both very common - shed by every Kaern - and particularly rare in use - there are few ways to farm it and no ways to mine it - the organic stone that Kaern sprouts are made of is a wondrous material regardless. Although Kaerns move on to more plentiful materials quickly, it's not uncommon for them to find themselves in a situation where little else is at hand. In those circumstances, Kaerns can flake off shed sprouts and settle the flakes together with heat, creating what they call Squama, a material that resembles fish or snake skin but is more durable than cured leather. Squama is somewhat personal to Kaerns, and they rarely sell or give items made of it, although exceptions exist.


A noteworthy Kaernian enterprise is alcohol brewing. The craft was only recently appropriated by Kaerns, for a few reasons. Ancient Kaerns were forced to move often due to upheavals in their regions, often of the destructive kind, and alcohol fermentation takes a long time in a relatively static environment. At the same time, Kaerns - highly resistant to the effects of alcohol - did not see the point behind the whole thing, and had dismissed it as an amusement of other races.

Ever since the experiments of Licorandi, the Brewmaster, resulted in ale that impacts Kaerns the way normal ale affects other races, the interest of other Kaerns has spiked and hasn't waned since. Kaernian alcohol, including wine, ale and spirits, ferments faster and the process is not easily disturbed. Of course, as a few early unfortunate accidents demonstrated, most other races should dilute Kaernian brews before consumption; the standard for export drinks now takes such concerns into consideration.


Armaments

Of all their craftsmanship, Kaerns are most famous for their weapons and armors; they make a lot, and they make them well, and there's never any lack of demand. Kaerns can make most weapons, for just about any need or to any specification, albeit with standard materials; special orders, such as Kaernian Steel swords, are much more expensive than the average soldier can afford.

The armaments that Kaerns prefer for themselves, however, are a somewhat different from industry standard. Due to the scarcity of wood in their ancestral homelands, and its weak relation with fire, the overwhelming majority of typical weapons Kaerns learn to use have no trace of it. Additionally, a blade can chip easily if it hits a sprout, so Kaerns rarely relied on them, doubly so when outfitted by Squama armor; blunt, bludgeoning weapons are the instruments of choice when violence is warranted. A typical melee weapon choice would be a fully metallic mace or flail, or, as a last resort, a stone club.

A more spiritual version of melee weapons of choice is the Kalavar, a precisely shaped club, approximately 160cm, traditionally made of metal or stone - usually Jade - and adorned throughout its length with protrusions resembling the Kaern's sprouts. Larger varieties exist, as well as different constructions - such as a golden body with gem protrusions - but the traditional Kalavar is much more common.

Regarding their response to ranged combat and the threat of bows, Kaerns understood early on in their history that throwing rocks can only go so far, so they improved the practice. Slings, often made of Squama, are very effective in the hands of a Kaern, more so if they use red-hot sprouts for ammunition.

In their choice of armor, Kaerns have no drawbacks from entire metallic suits - full plate armors - and those are often used in open war. Given the quality difference between Kaernian Steel and common weapons, even a single armored Kaern can be effectively unharmed by the efforts of entire units, although a single Etherweaver is often enough to deter from such attempts. Regardless, organized units of plated Kaerns are a force to be reckoned with.

More commonly, however, Kaerns are concerned with the effects of blunt impact on their armor, and they give much more attention to the padding that goes underneath. A very common armor for Kaerns without many resources is a padding of leather and an overlay of Squama. More advanced padding allows for heat dissipation, which is particularly useful for those fully encased in metal armor in hot environments.


Architecture

For various reasons, including the scarcity of wood in the lands Kaerns prefer, the fragility of many construction materials - especially in relation to their average weight, and the flammability of many materials, especially by contact with shed sprouts, Kaernian architecture utilizes almost exclusively various types of stone or minerals. Excavated caves or similar underground dwellings are often a base building encountered in Kaernian lands, and free-standing stone structures are seen in more organized societies. Adornments, or rarer materials for construction - such as marble or obsidian - were not common until recent history, and usually signified a place of great importance.

Even interior decoration is often restricted to flame retardant materials, such as marble statues, clay vases, or wall-mounted metallic armaments. Most Kaerns consider decorations such as woven carpets inane, despite the skill of the construction or the art displayed.


Demeanor

Religion

Kaernian faith is varied, but two organized religions have persisted throughout most of Kaernian history: The Red Flame, the structured religion of Pabschakri, The Fierce Red, and the more informal worship of Ethrenos often just called "forge worshiping".

The Red Flame

The Red Flame is the most organized religion among the Kaerns since before the Age of Conflict, adhered to by the overwhelming majority of the populace, and even many of the other races. There are many rituals, congregations and traditional practices, although which are considered important and which are just acknowledged depends on the community, with the exception of the Touch of the Fierce Flame, a coming-of-age ritual that most Kaerns have undergone in their lives. There are few structures used as temples, and only in great cities - The Red Flame suggests that {{#tip-text: Pabschakri |

}} can be found in every flame, so congregations and religious rites often take place around a bonfire.

Forge Worshiping

Forge Worshiping could barely be called a religion by most accounts, but that kind of showing devotion to {{#tip-text: Ethrenos |

}} is so ingrained in Kaernian culture, and its origins are so clearly spiritual in nature, that scholars accept it as a matter of fact. There are no strict rituals - the means by which a crafter attributes respect is deeply personal, and some go to greater lengths than others to signify this. There are also no temples, since every forge is considered a place of direct worship of Ethrenos, with one exception: the Basilica Foundry; a foundry, workshop and forge structured like a great temple to Ethrenos, built in the heart of a volcano, lost during the Skybreak and considered destroyed, although its legend still occasionally sprouts Temple Forges, especially for large, important projects.

Other faiths

Following the usual tendency of hominoids for varied thought and belief, one can find Kaerns of any faith, although few reach fanaticism. However, a few deities have received more attention from Kaerns in recent times. {{#tip-text: Rithenil |

}} and the once-Kaern {{#tip-text: Xhaer |

Symbol of Xhaer
Xhaer

Ascended Deity (ZHA-er)

Goddess of Swordmanship

The Bladefury, The Battle Champion, The Caged Deity

Rithenil's Consort.

}} struck a chord with many Kaerns, especially with the parallels to the reign of Arkos. {{#tip-text: Najarah |

Symbol of Najarah
Najarah

Perennial Deity (na-TZA-ra)

Goddess of Endurance

The Sand Dancer, Najara of the Desert

}} has also been in more and more Kaernian prayers for a while now, ever since the founding of the Hollows, and meetings with southern desert nomads.


Relations

Although Kaerns mostly kept to themselves during the Age of Miracles, scholars and smiths from all the other races approached them for apprenticeship; they say most of today's crafting techniques are some variation from the archetypal techniques taught then, which came from Ethrenos himself.

The situation changed dramatically during the Age of Ashes, with Kaerns forced to nomadic wandering and unable to establish any sort of stable civilization, or even gather enough resources to stay in one place - very few interactions with the other races happened during those times, and even in the Era of Trade, Kaerns were the last to fully integrate themselves to the re-emerging trade networks.

Although the Age of Conflict brought tension to relations everywhere, it was mostly against political or geographical groups. The relations of Kaerns with other races as a whole has been steadily improving, all the way to today, where Kaerns enjoy a status resembling the one they held during the Age of Miracles - scholars and hopeful apprentices seek them out for observation and tutelage.


History

Age of Miracles

The early history of the Kaerns is generally considered lost, with only the most expansive of archives bearing any mention, but even then the sources for such mentions are often stories passed down the generations by word of mouth.

Most of those stories involve Ethrenos in one way or another, often having the constant need for Kaernian craftsmanship, or the impressive potential of Kaernian craftsmen, drawing the Primordial's attention until he personally - often through an avatar with a Kaern's body, or a disembodied voice sounding from the echoes of a hammer on an anvil, or sometimes even the primordial himself physically appearing through an erupting volcano - visits their best crafters and teaching them until they can create artifacts that are worthy of the Gods themselves.

That period of Kaernian history is full of legendary smiths and wondrous items, but there are very few confirmed (or, indeed, confirm-able) mentions.


Age of Ashes

Although all races lost much from the Skybreak, Kaerns specifically took particularly long to recover, mostly due to the nature of their homelands and the extend of devastation following the chain eruptions of the volcanic range that housed many of them.

Although fire claimed a lot of those ancestral lands, however, paper and similar writing mediums were always rare, and scribbles on stone were not uncommon. Those few records that have been excavated now are considered relics and studied by scholars across the land.

Kaern records have the most accurate descriptions to date about the period of the Skybreak itself, including the streak of falling meteorites, the impact locations, and the changes of elemental balance on those locations, along with observed effects. Sadly, those records only include a relatively short distance from Kaernian lands, but they have helped many scholars theorize on the nature of the phenomenon, and extrapolate the effects on other lands.

A central figure in Kaernian history during those times is always Kyrirantheon, an elder master of elemental forces, and one of the invited members to the council that decided how to handle the incoming threat that would become the Skybreak.

Kaernian records is mostly ambivalent about Kyrirantheon's stance on the matter, and conflicting opinions are common, especially when cross-referencing with tales from other races, but most agree about his feats after the initial destruction.

Tales have the elder elementalist standing alone against volcanic rage, diverting lava flows, protecting against falling debris and spreading ashen clouds to allow Kaerns to breathe safely. It is uncertain how much of this is accurate, and how much is exaggeration, but it stands to reason that any master of elemental forces would be pivotal in the survival of communities nearer the sources of subsequent devastation, even if only by judging the upcoming consequences and their origin, and guiding fleeing people away from those locations.


Recent History

The Duel of Splitting Rocks

One of the most important events in recent Kaernian history is the duel of Dok Rastath with the Gargantuan champion Raxegor for the sovereignty of the territory that is now the northwestern region of Kaernian lands. Blended between fact and myth, the duel itself has a lot of variations depending on the teller, with some accounts having Rexegor about triple the height of Dok Rastath.

The Duel of Splitting Rocks is a very controversial topic to examine, but it is the reason of modern Kaernian lands, the prevalence of the Kalavar - the chosen weapon of Dok Rastath, as well as the day most consider the original founding of the Dok Rastathi, the order of traditional Kaernian warriors that defend the Kaerns and their lands and rights.


Licorandi

Another legend of Kaernian history is Licorandi, an unknown cobbler for most of his life, taking up brewing as a pastime after a bet with drunken Umani, whose name has not survive history, to cause Kaerns to succumb to drunken stupor. Traditionally brewed beverages, including anything from ale to wine to strong spirits, never affected Kaernian physiology, which was the reason Kaerns rarely visited alehouses or similar establishments in other lands.

Licorandi remained unknown for approximately ten years after that bet, but he never forgot it, working towards his goal whenever he had time, and spent all of his profits towards his experiments that were considered insane at the time.

Eventually, allegedly after a night spent in drunken stupor, he presented the local council with Teno Sheelot, the culmination of his ten years of efforts. Few records remain of the first tests of the concoction, but it is generally considered a wild success. Various forms and variants of Sheelot remains popular today, although the prefix "Teno" is only used for the exceedingly rare samples of the original. Although in modern times Kaerns have figured out means to make common beverages into Kaernian variants that work for them, Sheelot remains a Kaernian beverage that is highly poisonous to the other races.

Licorandi, having spent all his time, effort and money on his research, and giving away his recipe to anyone that asked without requesting compensation, dropped back into obscurity a few years later. Details about his late life have never been confirmed, although many historians suggest that he went looking into his next recipe and never found a family, eventually passing away poor and alone. His name is not forgotten, however, and connoisseurs often refer to alcoholic beverages that can affect Kaerns - whether Sheelot or variations of other races' brews - as Licors.


The reign of Arkos

One of the darkest eras of Kaernian history starts with a hero. Arkos was a highly decorated general who had lead Kaernian forces in many victorious defenses against invading forces, especially Gargantuan ones. He reached a hero's status after the battle of river Coresar, where he outwitted and routed a force of Gargantuans six times the size of his own forces.

Given the constant pressure across most borders of Kaernian lands, during that time of strife, Arkos was quickly invited to offer advice on most governing policies. Already in command of all Kaernian military forces and their policies, this situation practically made Arkos the ruler of all Kaerns in all but name.

Although the rule of Arkos began well, with the solidification of Kaernian borders, the establishment of impenetrable fortresses on regions of strategic importance, and, impressively enough, the benevolent treatment of non-combatants, years saw change.

Arkos spent the better part of twenty years in planning and construction, married Yllesca during that time, and sired a daughter, Ariska, but also spent the better part of Kaernian resources in military pursuits. People began to grow anxious, especially since the conflicts near the borders had all but disappeared in the first couple of years, but Arkos kept directing all efforts to strengthening the military.

Eventually, dissent grew vocal after agricultural and architectural projects were stifled in favor of advanced weapon designs and siege weaponry, and riots became common. Arkos responded by bringing armed forces in the cities to quell the unrest. When confronted in a political setting, he began to order assassinations. Before long, no one dared to voice displeasure but the sporadic, disorganized remnants of a meager resistance. With no thought on anything but military force, however, famine soon set in Kaernian lands.

The reign of Arkos lasted for another two years before resistance appeared to grow more organized, better at evading armed responses and even better at foreseeing - and challenging - the plans of the military. Arkos suspected spies, and his choke hold on people grew even tighter. Many were brought to a breaking point, and Kaerns were on verge of civil war.

The continued effectiveness of the resistance at countering every oppressive military plan, Arkos grew more paranoid. Eventually, he ordered the execution of his wife Yllesca under suspicions of spying and treason. At the stage of the execution, Ariska revealed herself as part of the resistance and used her unusual, for Kaernian standards, estoc and kill Arkos after a brief but surprising duel.

Ariska went on to lead the resistance forces and most military forces that would follow her into reclaiming control of the land. Widely considered a hero and a spiritual leader, she reestablished council rule rather than assume the mantle of ruler and made provisions to expand it on a national scale. She lingered only for a year before she departed on a spiritual journey. She never returned to rule the Kaerns, although there are records that suggest she occasionally offered advice to the various councils.


Modern History

In 1745 AR, the Battle of Scarlet Sands saw Kaernian forces face kidnapped and enslaved Kaerns turned into an elite battle unit under the commands of the Desert King. Kaerns consider themselves fierce enemies of the Desert King ever since.

In 1767 AR, Kaerns receive the Stigma, a social brand that the Holy Theocracy of Mhortai assigns to the Kaerns as a whole, ranking them as inferior beings and slaves. The situation causes Kaerns to fortify their borders and generally mistrust followers of Mhortai. It lead directly to the Exodus, in 1770 AR, when Kaerns and Umani massively fled the Imperial Heartlands to evade intensifying racism and found the Hollows under the Rhaksathi Wastelands.

In 1776 AR, during the Battle of Steep Pass, after a massacre by the hands of General Nix Arcassian, and the subsequent chaos, records claim of the appearance of two divine beings in the battlefield: the Elemental Sovereign Ethrenos and the Great Red Dragon, Pabshackri, who allegedly put an end to the battle and returned to the Ether, along with a caged Xhaer and Rithenil. Details on the situation are scarce, but scholars theorize that Xhaer was unstoppable and blinded by rage, so Ethrenos crafted a cage to contain her fury while Rithenil bravely stood between her onslaught and anyone else. Theurges suggest that if this theory is correct, it is possibly what drew the attention of the Fierce Red.

In 1778 AR, the forces of the Hollows join the forces from the Mystic Woods to invade the Imperial Heartlands. In a great upset at the final siege, they conquer Ravenstar in a day generally known as the Fall of the Talon. The Kaern Rokrimor, a vagrant inventor/problem-solver is attributed as pivotal to the battles that took place in the invasion, mainly due to the Spirecaster, a ballista projectile that focuses storms and lightning strikes over the target.