In a time so ancient that it is remembered only in old stories and
legends, Humans fought a great war on the northern continent.  The evil
Dragons had controlled them for untold generations, but eventually they
fought free from their tormentors and vanquished that foul race.  Those few
dragons that remain are but shadows of their ancestors.  The human heroes
who overthrew the foul dragons brought peace and prosperity to the northern
continent, and thus began the Great Continental Empire.
        The Great Empire survived and grew strong, eventually encompassing
all of the northern continents, as well as beginning to colonize the Island
chains and the southern continent.  Unfortunately this great Empire was
destroyed from within by it's own size.  Many of the local lords were
jealous of the Emperors power, and looked for any opportunity to break
free.  This opportunity came with the guise of a great plague which
decimated the people.  Those small lordlings who survived drew back into
their own lands, fearful of contact with those who might carry the disease.
The southern colonies were abandoned to fend for themselves.
        Centuries passed, and eventually The Second Empire arose.  It is as
powerful as it's predecessor, or so they say.  It controls much of the two
northern continents, but there are several independent states within what
was once The Great Empire.  The island states and the southern continent
are not affiliated with The Second Empire.  Durrin Isle was recolonized by
peoples who left the Second Empire to found their own states, as was the
coastline of the southern continent.  Although interested in consolidating
a world wide Empire, The Second Empire has reached such a size that it
cannot maintain itself and grow at the same time.  Although The Second
Empire has made several attempts to gain additional territory, any war it
begins is cut short as internal struggles begin to tear the Empire apart.

        Durrin Isle was recolonized from the north six centuries ago.  The
ancestors of the Bramhillians and the Tashnians emigrated and set up
city-states upon the sites of ancient Great Empire cities.  These sites had
been abandoned for centuries, but were again viable as colony sites.  Each
was located along a river, which provided for transport, as well as
protected shelter for ocean going vessels.  The newcomers soon realized
that they were not alone.  Not only were the Maracarans, Yronrocks and
Slasanza still living on the Isle, as they always had, but there were other
humans there as well.  Leftover colonists from the Great Empire had
survived and prospered on Durrin.  These people were predominantly the
nomadic Thonnish and Geothonnish peoples, but there were other isolated
city-states hidden in the mountainous areas of the Isle.
        These city-states eventually began to expand and acquire more
territory, as did the newcomers.   Only the Thonnish and Geothonnish
peoples continued to live as they had, migrating with their herds.  The
Maracarans and Yronrocks soon realized that their once quiet neighbors
might soon try to attack them.   The Yronrocks politely, although
forcefully, removed Humans from their territory.  They erected stone
signposts at their borders and swore to maintain them.  The Maracarans
signed treaties with local human governments, and enforced these treaties
with magic and force of arms.
        A century later a group of wandering pilgrims emerged from the
central mountain range with the news of a new temple.  Onegod had come, and
many people rejoiced.  Miraculous acts of healing performed by these
priests quickly converted the Labhartain Royal family, and Onegod worship
became the State Belief.  The Labhartainians ended their aggressive
campaigns and began attempting to convert their neighbors.  They were to a
large part successful, as this religion is known and respected in all parts
of Durrin, as well as much of the rest of the world.  Whereas other
Kingdoms on Durrin acquired territory through wars, the Labhartainians
attempted to expand more peacefully.  Treaties and marriage bonds brought
as much territory to Labhartain as conquest did to it's neighbors.
        Around this time, another individual walked from the central
mountains.  Although it was not known at the time, Tamers Gunyo was the
only son of the rulers of a magic state in the north.  He had abandoned his
family and history to come to Durrin to teach the ethical use of magical
ability.  He founded L'Acadamie de Sorceries, and began to instruct all who
are willing to learn.  By the time his school attracted the attention of
his far-off relatives, Tamers has gained the trust and friendship of all of
his students.  He had also gained the skill and ability to return home and
overthrow his families hold on their city-state.  Although his magical
abilities were destroyed in the process, Tamers was able to release the
population from their magical bonds, and ensure that his family was unable
to ever regain control of them.  Although no longer able to control magical
energies, Tamers returned to L'Acadamie where he lived his life as he
always had.  He taught the young not to fear their gifts, and to enjoy
their lives.
        Much of Durrin was involved in minor war after minor war for the
next century.   What quickly became the three major states on Durrin
continued to acquire their neighbors, and fight amongst themselves.  The
Geothonnish people broke into small family tribes during this time, and
were quickly absorbed by the major powers.  Some Geothonnish people
maintain the nomadic lifestyle, eventually becoming known as the Merchant
Caravaners.  Of the human inhabitants present before the second migration,
only the Thonnish people have maintained their ancient ways.  Even their
territory has been greatly reduced, however, as they now remain within the
confines of the eastern savanahland, an area which is getting smaller with
every passing year.
        Four centuries ago, the last great war was fought on Durrin.  All
three of the major powers were involved for decades.   Many cities towns
and temples were destroyed.  The most devastating loss, however, was the
destruction of L'Acadamie de Sorceries.  A renegade group of Onegod
followers attacked and sacked The Great Library, as well as killing many of
the students and teachers  of L'Acadamie.  Although Onegod teaches that use
of Magic is a sin, killing to prevent it's use is equally reprehensible.
The war also claimed Wizards lives more directly, as those who fought for
one side or another destroyed their former classmates.  There is no telling
what the eventual cost of this war might have been, if it had not ended
suddenly.  The outbreak of another plague ended the great war, as well as
many lives.
        Each of the Triad Kingdoms has consolidated their holdings in the
past centuries, finally acquiring those last few acres of land and
discussing (with sharpened steel) the exact borders with their neighbors.
The only consolidated effort which these three countries have joined in was
an unfulfilled ethnic war of cleansing.  Somehow, a breeding group of
Illhillians traveled from the southern continent and began living far
inland, in an uninteresting and not particularly valuable badlands area
which happened to be claimed by all three states.  None of the Triad
thought that they area was worth fighting over until they realized that
something not-human lived there.  The Illhillians must have been there for
some time before the humans noticed them however, as they had several small
farming towns set up.  If only the grubbers had not tried to take the easy
way out by ambushing caravans, they might have gone unnoticed for several
more decades.
        The Bramhillians, The Tashnians and The Labhartainians each became
aware of the Illhillians and sent their armies off to destroy them.  In an
effort at peace between among the Triad, each human army agreed to
cooperate in the destruction of the brutish Illhillians.  This agreement
was also offered to the rather large Yronrocks army which arrived at the
end of the war planning effort, as well as to the contingent of Maracarans.
Imagine the surprise when the Yronrocks and Maracarans arranged themselves
in a manner which could only be taken to mean that they were protecting the
Illhillians!  The Yronrocks calmly explained that they were claiming the
badlands area for themselves, and that any humans found within the badlands
boundary would be forcefully removed.  As the humans continued to discuss
their plans, the Yronrocks began to erect their signposts.  Even as they
did so, their numbers grew as more and more Yronrocks marched from the
mountains.  Eventually the humans were outnumbered by more than two to one,
with additional Yronrocks and Maracarans arriving continually.  The humans
withdrew that day, and they have continued to obey the injunction from
entering the Ill Hills to this day.  The route which the Yronrocks followed
in defense of the Illhillians is now marked as an Yronrocks border, all of
twenty-five feet wide.
        Each State on Durrin has agreed to a mutual non-aggression treaty.
The Triad Kingdoms fear the combined might of the Yronrocks and the
Maracarans.  The Yronrocks have untold thousands of warriors set to march
at a moments notice, apparently, and the Maracarans use magic to fight
their wars.  Those few humans which L'Acadamie has been able to train have
all vowed not to serve any one government, and so are unable to counter
this threat.  The Illhillians and Slasanza were included in this treaty by
the Maracarans and the Yronrocks, although the Slasanza don't know it, and
wouldn't care if they did know.
        Although not strictly included in the treaty, The Thonnish Nomads
and the Merchant Caravaners are also protected by this treaty.  The
Maracarans and Yronrocks have both stated that they would defend these
peoples in a war.  However, the Merchant Caravaners are not concentrated
enough to be attacked in typical warlike style, and little is ever done
about the inequities of their lifestyle.  The Thonnish people are also be
strained, but not due to war.  Both Tashnais and Labhartain are slowly
spreading into Thonnish territory, leaving the Thonnish with less living
space every year.