Brief History of the Kalka'shar
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Mostly covers the First and Second Great Wars, and the downfall of the Kalka'shar.
This public article was written by [Deactivated User] on 7 Feb 2018, 11:54.
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3. Physiology
The Kalka'shar (IPA: /kalkaʔʃar/) were a race of beings native to Sol, and one of the main participants in the Great Wars. Their name comes from their name for Sol: Ka'shar, literally meaning "fire home".The Kalka'shar were the first species to reside on Sol, living among its flame centuries before the Dome was built. Little is remembered about their previous state, but it is known that they could only assume their elemental form.
Rise of Civilisation
Across the galaxy, refugees of intergalactic war began to arise, from all over with nowhere to go. Desperate to survive, they devised a plan. A dome, built from materials carried from all across the galaxy. They built prototypes and lowered them towards the atmosphere: test after test until something held strong. The final project hung just barely in the flames, swimming across the surface of the sun; the safest place in the galaxy for them. Spells and science turned the uninhabitable Sol into a place of safety; a terraformed world home to refugees and tourists from all around the galaxy.
It is said that when refugees began work on the Dome, the Kalka'shar were interested to know what they planned to do with their world, and when they were told they begged to learn to take these physical forms like the refugees had; longing for the company of so many other people.
Over time, they did adapt and learn to shift (though their forms at first were grotesque and difficult to maintain), and it was partly their magic that allowed the Dome to finally be completed. Eventually the Kalka'shar finally leaned to shift properly, and took their place within the new land on their once-empty star. Taking inspiration from the glimpses they'd had of other worlds, they learned to build homes and towns, to farm and craft, and eventually to create instruments they could use in their music; that which was so important to them. The once chaotic civilisation had become organised and hierarchical, developing a royal family who resided in their great city, Estofel.
The First Great War
Over time, a rivalry formed between the Kalka'shar and one of the refugee races, the Shifters. While the Kalka'shar ruled over fire, the Shifters had an affinity for water, and could shapeshift between humanoid and animal forms, and over time each grew disgusted by the other. The Kalka'shar could not see why a race so fond of their greatest weakness, water, should be allowed to live so close to them. The Shifters coveted the Kalka'shar's luxury, growing bitter that they were forced to live amongst the trees and dirt while the Kalka'shar built over their land.
Eventually, one Shifter rallied his Clan to attack the nearest Kalka'shar towns, each time being forced back, and each time returning even more determined. Soon enough, more Clans followed his lead, creating the start of an all out War between Kalka'shar and Shifter. Their attacks became more and more organised, with full nighttime attacks on the Kalka'shar, who were unused to fighting and warfare and struggled to hold them back.
The battles continued regularly for almost two centuries (the equivalent of just over five years in Kalka'shar time), with heavy casualties on both sides. Where the Shifters' culture was built around war and defense, to assure they never lose another home, the Kalka'shar had no previous experience of a war so bloody and violent, and for a time it seemed hopeless.
When the Shifter leadership changed, so too did the War. The new leadership was not so interested in bloodshed and bitterness, and so negotiations were made and a truce was called between the two races. Seeing no other way to remove the fear that had been created between them, the Kalka'shar King Bayol called for a pact. The Shifters would retreat to the Wetlands in the North, and the Kalka'shar would remain in the South. A magical barrier would be erected between territories which would warn either side of intrusion, and any trespassers would be driven out or killed. The Shifters agreed, and the War was over for a time.
The Second Great War
Four hundred years later, the attacks began again. It was unknown as to why this happened, but many Kalka'shar suspect the Shifters grew jealous once more, trapped in their Northern lands while the Kalka'shar thrived in the South. These attacks were far more organised, striking at the most opportune times to cause the most damage, such as during the night or while the Kalka'shar took shelter from the scheduled rainfall.
During this time, a deserter from Shifter ranks found his way to the Kalka'shar. A raven shapeshifter named Reomhíng (anglicised: Rowing) sought refuge and was denied at every turn, until the eldest princess, Nak'arna (translated: Ruby), took pity on the boy and granted him shelter. Over time, the two fell in love, and many thought the marriage of the Elder Princess and her Shifter Prince would mark an end to this war -- a unification of the two races at last.
It was not so. Over time, the war only grew more bloody and devastating, until a group of desperate people sought a new answer. Shifters and Kalka'shar alike who had grown tired of this war journeyed together to the forbidden woodland that spanned both territories, beseeching the powerful, long-forgotten creatures and mages there to bring an end to this fighting.
And so they did.
Storm magic, fire and necromancy, tied as one, caused the lightning storms which began the end. The storms spanned as far as any could see, so fierce and strong that many feared the Dome might break from the force of them -- which it did.
In the last days, the storm cracked the dome. Sol’s fires leaked into the once-sturdy shelter and strengthened the magic causing the fierce weather, driving it to a point of complete and total destruction.
Some were lucky enough to suffocate. Some were struck by lightning. Most just burned. The few who made it to a dock were didn't get far -- their ships were torn apart before they could even breach the Dome's surface. Any Kalka'shar who didn't shift to their fire form burned. Any who did were put out by the rain.
It was the perfect trap, and few if any survived. The Dome and its inhabitants were almost entirely destroyed and burned away by Sol's fire. The ships' wrecks scattered and floated aimlessly through the galaxy.
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