Chronicles of Anar

Description

IMAGINE a universe, infinite in size and diversity... a universe of black nothingness, filled with fiery stars and cold, barren planets. Then, if you will, imagine that either by Chance or by the will of long-forgotten Gods, one of these planets is exactly far away enough from its star not to be scorched and yet still close enough not to remain a sphere of cold, barren rock. Image that after millions and billions of years Life is granted to this globe, ever growing and evolving, ever changing and improving. Imagine life becoming aware of itself and others, of civilizations rising. Imagine Elves and Dwarves and Man and many, many more trying to survive in the frenzy.

This is the tale of this world, or of a land that we find upon it: Anar, self-proclaimed sparkling emerald among the lands of Westen Ard.

True; many are the countries that are greater, richer, or more advanced. And one would be correct to say that many of these boast mightier armies and wiser men. But only few nations have a history so rich and diverse, have been fought over so bitterly, or have left a footprint of such significance on the Road of History. So yes; it may just be one of many nations, confused and divided. But for the many peoples that live in these lands, it is a place worth fighting for. For them, this is home.

For the past five hundred years Anar has been a kingdom of Man, ruled by a strong line of kings and self-declared emperors. It were they who led their armies forth, chasing a dream of a unified realm for humankind and establishing a Third Realm that could stand to comparison with those legendary Realms of old. Both the good and the bad times they survived, ruling the lands with a kind hand, at times, or with an iron fist if that better suited the need. They managed to once again make their kingdom a power to be noted and that, in a moment of greatness, spanned most of the known world.

But things change. Greatness faded and the Realm now runs on the basis of watered down memories of past glory. The noble line waned and ended, the last of kings murdered in his sleep by one of his many enemies. His knighthood has become corrupt, self-indulging, and power-hungry. The Church of Man that had always stood at the royal right shoulder, a beacon of hope and religious guidance for all the inhabitants of Anar, has been equally corrupted by those too obsessed with worldly games to remember their servitude to the Divine.

It would be unfair to put the blame of the struggle that followed solely on the Septarch, nor was it the sole responsibility of the knights of the north. War was inevitable, because both sides wanted war.

And in the meantime there are the other races; Dwarf and Elven, who called these lands Home long before any man walked it, now trying to live and cope with the harsh reality of being surrounded by unfriendly humans. The Elven have retreated to the hearts of great forests, last of the Elder Races to exist in any number and diminished after an endless war of attrition. They are rarely seen. The dwarven clans of Anar, though perhaps not as diminished, have long lost their lowland territories and were forced to retreat to a few remaining mountain strongholds. Their kings are forced to live with the humility of defeat and are to pay back immense old war costs. They have will to fight still though, and more than a score or two to settle. The cities of their cousins in the north, far out of reach of Anarian soldiers, have been rumored to be forging large stocks of weaponry once again. There is no doubt that the last has not yet been heard from them.

And amidst of all this, peasants revolt, barbarian Greenskin plunder, and adventurers search for quick ways to fame and fortune. One can choose to bring order into chaos, or some chaos into order. Enough to do, I'd say, for a humble adventurer...

Chronicles of Anar is a free-form roleplaying game, set in a world of fickle magic and gritty realism, in which players and Dungeon Master work together to create a story of epic magnitude.