The Keridwyn Empire is a massive culmination of a vast number of species and cultures that learned to work together to survice numerous apocalyptic events throughout history.
During the age of Calamuty, many of the species who had stood isolated for eons were thrust into turbulent times which saw them interact with each other in unprecedented levels. All led by the humans. This age is marked by the three crises known as The Human-Dragon War, the Darkest Hour, and the War of Doors. These crises saw the rise of the first great kingdom from which the current empire arose. The kingdom of Keridwyn.
The Human-Dragon war was sparked by an uncommonly high activity from Dragons, previously know to spend their time contentedly dominating their domains. The specific beginning date is contested, though most agree that the first recorded event of Dragons cooperating in an attack is the beginning of the war. After a relatively unknown man named Bevyn Grey received a vision he claimed was divine, he led Humanity in a war against the Dragons, dragging many other species in with him. During the Human-Dragon war, the Humans figured out how to use powerful ritual magic to create the Animal-fused species with assistance from the Pixies. The Humans newly acquired knowledge and cooperation with the Dwarves saw the early mechanical bodies that would eventually lead to the creation of the Cog species. With magic, and the created beings, Humans managed to defeat the Draconic onslaught, despite great loses of their own.
By the end of the war, the first ‘civilized’ Animal-fused species began to be seen. In the period between the Human-Dragon war and the Darkest Hour, the Materia were created by the Gnomes using the same ritual magic the Humans used with a Fae twist.
The Darkest Hour is marked by a great number of undead rising throughout the land. Angels and Demons appeared throughout this time striking at individuals and cities seemingly at random. Soon after the first crisis, the fallen soldiers from the fight against the Dragons washed over the cities of their previous kin. Then was the arrival of an archangel of enormous size. The awe at such a creature turned quicky into horror as it leveled a great city. Within the roughly two hundred and fifty years of this crisis, the population of the world was reduced to critical levels. Among the loss, there was still new life. Sufficiently advanced mechanics brought about the introduction of the Cog as a species during this era. Likewise, using the same ritual magic required to make the Materia, the first Shimmer was introduced to the world.
Then came a period of regrowth. The city of Keridwyn regained its strength and rallied the other cities. Over the next few centuries, the alliance of cities became a true kingdom. The Kingdom of Keridwyn. It is believed that the Shade were first created during this relative time of peace with the aim of directing the period of growth to the whims of the few.
The third crisis was the War of Doors, where a figure named Drathnaz sought fame by defeating monsters. His efforts spiraled into an uncontrolled creation of Cracked Realm Barriers. Though deadly, this crisis saw a reduction to the prejudice against Dragons when they assisted in the fight against the resulting aberrations.
The age of Rebirth saw the recovery from the Age of Calamity. The kingdom of Keridwyn reached a new height in this age. Lasting roughly seven hundred and fifty years, the Age of Rebirth ended when the great gates of the city of Keridwyn closed and the cities within the kingdom plunged into a civil war known as the Broken Alliance.
During the war, each city strove towards their own goals through various means. Accumulating power through strategy, wisdom, or deceit wherever possible. Many rose to become know as heroes, though many more lost their lives to the terror that ensued in the pursuit of power. Through these losses, the masses learned the value of proper leadership, allowing the Empire to rise once the dust settled.
The Empire of the current day rose from the ashes of the Broken Alliance Wars and bears the name of the previous kingdom. The Modern Age has notably mixed species dwelling within the cities as the result of new alliances that were formed to end the last war and a high level of development across the land.
With the common feeling of peace through the land, adventuring to discover the unknown, or simply for person profit, has captured the interests of many, despite its great risks. Advancements in crafting grew from the requirements of such adventurers to delve deeper into the vast territory, funded by prior tests of their bravery. The skills drawn out in these individuals has begun to put to shame that was presented by former heroes, leading to the rising of legends.