The Arrival

Escape from the Barrens
The first human inhabitants of Ythanica arrived many centuries past. Forced to flee a dying land and escape a tyrannical regime, they sailed through uncharted seas and treacherous waters from a derelict land they called "the Barrens". There was little to eat in the Barrens, and the will of the people was second to the whims of their tyrant. Tensions in the forsaken land grew with each passing day. Insurrection boiled just beneath the surface.
 * Arrival

Finally, on what would have been a day just like any other, a small band of soldiers, thieves, pirates, farmers and laborers united in an uprising at Port Carre, a small fishing city on the western shore. With their combined force, the group commandeered a single ship. A single chance at freedom.

For all their differences, the rebels accomplished one of the most daring, near-impossible feats in recorded history. Dozens of lives were lost, but through their sacrifice, the ship was able to begin its journey into the unknown. The tyrant was unwilling to risk his fleet in uncharted waters, and the rebels made their escape.

Facing a golden horizon, the unlikely allies' chests swelled with hope.

Dawn of the Vanguard
Sailing into darkness and uncertainty, the allies found strength in their unity. They became the Vanguard, pioneers of the new world. Though years of conflict would one day divide them, one thing is for certain: the first inhabitants of the realm were once a people united.

After weeks at sea, the Vanguard reached their destination. Setting foot on the shores of a dense, green forest, the first men were overwhelmed with visions of a sprawling kingdom, free of tyranny. Wasting no time, they began their work. The last remaining texts of the time tell the story of the first settlement...

"We arrived on the Eastern coast of the continent, in a dense forest. The first days were dark and filled with fear. It 's freezing in this new green country... an abundance of wood, but the stone is trapped beneath the frost... forced us to construct a port... live off the sea, rather than a fortified city..."

Game was scarce on the Eastern shore of the new world. Ythanica's beasts resided in the warmer South, so the Vanguard were forced to fish and gather any food they could find. After several years of suffering and near-descent into chaos, some degree of order was established.

Their settlement was named Genesis Port, the origin of civilization in the new land. It was to be the center of trade in the realm, a prosperous gem. But plans for the future crumbled at the hands of conflict. The settlers were soon divided by ideological differences. Torn over how to govern their new settlement, three factions emerged in what is now called The Great Severance.