Antipode: Introduction

The History of the Continent

       For thousands of years the people of the mountains and the people of the plains had never crossed the desert of Aerasia and over the River into each other’s lands. The River, treacherous and infested with Reis sharks that had managed to survive in the fresh water was impossible to cross, or so the two Peoples thought.
       The people of the mountains are a peaceful people, with dark hair and skin and good natured light eyes they lived in the high reaches where they tamed the Dirga, the great mountain wurms. Short and stocky, the mountain people have adapted to their surroundings, learning of the forces of nature and gained knowledge of the use of the powers in a form of deep earthen magic. They found they could entice the very air into invisible forces, attaching them onto harnesses and giving the great wurms and themselves flying capabilities.
       Building into the mountains, the mountain people built great cities above the clouds. Being a gentle people, they killed only what they could use and gave back what they took, culturing the area around them into a deep and peaceful forest over the centuries.
       Soon the city’s’ populations became so great they split into five cities, Madgirra being the greatest and eldest place of dwelling.



       However, the people of the plains are a jealous and war some people. They themselves are tall and slender with light hair and fair skin but their eyes and thoughts are dark. Smart with machinery they have advanced as a culture and have produced weapons of great power, not to mention their sciences and medical achievements far surpass the people of the mountains. Due to all their machinery, the people have grown in huge numbers and their use of their surroundings has by far spent their resources. Expanding so much over the centuries has caused almost the whole side of their continent to look as one entire city, save the few spots where there is organized farms and forest. 
       Poverty and suffering was common and the rich getting wealthier while they do nothing to remedy the situation. The whisperings of the other people and the wealth they supposed that they had began to take root in the deepest parts of their side of the continent.
       The educated knew of their brethren to be the nature loving folk but dared not to sway the people to that idea lest there be an uprising; they began to plan for the day of invasion. For twenty years they went through plan after plan and finally set on one…



       The river was too dangerous to take boats over however not quite impossible to build a bridge over, that way they could lose no one to the sharks. So the bridge would be for the foot soldiers and equipment, but the real weapons… wouldn’t need bridges.
       

       The secret of the plain people was about to be unleashed upon their brethren.