Atlas's eye twitched as he watched the CDIM replay of the humans, beastkin, and elves on the western continent. Compared to the trials and tribulations of the eastern continent, or the tragedy of the dwarves, this was pathetic.
Well, perhaps pathetic wasn't the right word. Peaceful.
There were no mighty or behemoth-sized creatures, no evil plaguing the land, nor any tragedy that devastated species. Just natural evolution.
Without a nemesis, humans behaved like any other mammal. They ate, drank, and mated, with the occasional unexpected discovery.
Plagues, brought on by lack of clean water and poor hygiene, repeatedly diminished their numbers. Poisonous foods, dangerous wildlife, and other natural hardships slowed their growth.
Compared to the dwarves, however, they were less intelligent. By sheer luck, they discovered copper by a riverbed three centuries in, leading to the development of bronze, whereas the dwarves had already mastered it without the dragons' assistance. The dwarves were now capable of iron forging, even without the Primordials' aid.
Their magical abilities were minor- finger-tip flames, small conjurations of water or soil no larger than a fist- nothing compared to the Dark Elves. Nor did they possess their grit, battle-hardened nature, or resistance to harsh environments.
They were exceptionally average for the region, but compared to the rest of the world? Well below average.
Both human tribes encountered beast-kin- the typical cat and wolf tribes, elk and bear, and other minor tribes- but their reactions varied.
One tribe feared them and sought to annihilate them, while the other was peaceful, open to trade and coexistence.
Though physically similar, contempt between the two human tribes grew.
The northern tribe, valuing peace, became adept at herbology and discovered agriculture early. They came late to husbandry, however. By the Year 478, their population was the largest of all tribes.
Their relationship with the beast-kin proved advantageous. Technologies and discoveries were shared, and the beast-kin served as a shield due to their superior physicality, compensating for the northerners' weaker bodies and lesser combat ability.
In contrast, the southern tribe was smaller, adopting a more violent approach. Their early discovery of bronze, along with their primary focus on hunting, led to husbandry before agriculture. This led to stronger, larger bodies with more natural instincts toward fighting from birth.
Standing side by side, a southerner was at least 25% larger than a northerner, more comparable to the beast-kin. Their advantage over beast-kin was their superior intelligence and weaponry.
By year 400, the Southerners dominated skirmishes and battles. The Northerners relied heavily on beast-kin's physical superiority, but this advantage waned as Southerners developed bows and sophisticated traps.
To counter this- and curb the beastkin's reckless charges- the northerners began integrating their own warriors among the beastkin as a standard practice.
This decision proved crucial, as uneven losses had begun to fracture their alliance. Strengthened by shared hardships, their bonds re-solidified.
By year 400, the first half-bloods were born- humanoid hybrids with human and beast-kin traits, their stats averaged between both races. Not as strong, but not so stupid.
And now, at Year 478, an unease peace was brokered. The land was split cleanly in half between the North and South, and the large lake the elves inhabited acted as the natural line.
Scowling, Atlas's gaze rested on the pure elves. Small traces of contempt emitted from him. Their slim figures danced through the trees, barely discernible between the dense foliage and shadows.
As was typical of elves, they were attuned to the forest and highly gifted in water and earth magic.
'Maybe they are capable of fire or other destructive magic?' Atlas mused. 'But I haven't seen it.'
Everyone knew where the elves resided, but no one wanted to tangle with them. Their superior magical abilities and deep knowledge of nature frightened others.
Using their magic and expert knowledge of earth and wood, some of their homes resided on the lake.
That being said, this was a Great Lake, or a Super Lake- its diameter was at least fifty miles.
Magic lifted their food from the lake's surface, and rafts carried their catch back to the eastern coastland. Their populace was split 50-50 between land and water, as some simply preferred the water.
Tapping his fingers against the console, Atlas shifted the globe slightly, focusing on the green Primordial dragon and the dwarves residing on the eastern coast.
At first, the Primordial was content to observe from afar, showing no interest in the other creatures.
But as centuries passed, it discovered the ability to shapeshift, using its magic to take on different forms.
Disguised among them, it studied their ways firsthand, always close enough to learn, yet distant enough to remain a mystery. A figure that became common folklore.
The dwarves, who had fled centuries ago, had grown into a more traditional dwarven society. Some became explorers and wanderers- one even managed to befriend the Southerners after displaying exceptional metallurgy knowledge.
By the year 478, when the other Primordials and dragons ventured out and began inhabiting the continent, they faced little resistance.
Fear? Yes. It became one of the primary reasons the tribes continued their peace as these creatures descended.
A unified unease toward the newcomers settled among them, despite the dragons never acting with hostility toward humans or beastkin. Fear of the unnatural and unknown.
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-Divine Skill Creation-
Teleport: Subjective to target's strength. Current Target Cost: 15 Divinity
Divinity: 0 (-15)
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Holding a black, pulsing glob of flesh, a green goblin blinked into existence at the base of the eastern mountains on the western continent, inside a cave.
Wisp nodded, chirping as she observed. "A wise choice, Weaver Atlas. War accelerates advancement."
"They're farther behind the central landmass in terms of technology and far less dangerous than the Eastern continent," Atlas grunted, subconsciously agreeing with Wisp.
"This is still dangerous, however, instead of using an Oracle to ignite a holy war," Wisp chirped. "You've witnessed what it can become and how quickly they can spread. It will have an abundance of food here."
"The environment is less hostile here," Wisp chirped again with concern.
Shrugging, Atlas quickly looked through the stat screen. "It should even out. These goblins shouldn't be anywhere close to being as dangerous as the Eastern ones."
"Twenty-two years until divinity restoration? It should be fine. They'll toughen up. It will give the dragons a reason to hate certain creatures too, hopefully."