Prologue
"Alright, children…settle down, settle down. We have a lot to cover today, for we will be going over the history of Skaia, specifically that of our continent, the Medium. Despite its name, the Medium is actually quite small. However, as far as we know, it is the only continent with significantly intelligent life.
"Now, in the beginning, there were only carapacians on the Medium. They claim to have always been here, and by the looks of it, this is true. They also say that they've here since the formation of Skaia itself, which would make them one of the oldest species on the planet. Despite this, they are not as long-lived as the trolls are… Now at one point of their history—it isn't clear exactly when—the carapacians decided to split up into two groups and settle as far apart from each other along the South Medium Coast. The white formed the country of Prospit to the west; the black carapacians formed the country of Derse to the east. Each country believed their style of ruling was the best and that they were superior to their opposite. While there were a few skirmishes here and there, the two kingdoms managed to coexist despite their differences.
"On the north end of the Medium, living in the forests, mountains, and even the rocky North Medium Coasts were the trolls. When exactly the trolls came to the Medium is unknown, but they insist to have come from the sea shortly after the formation of Prospit and Derse. Not much was officially known about them at the time due to the fact that they lived in subterranean dwellings and only came out at night. In fact, for the longest time, they were likened to boogeymen and creatures to occupy tales and fable. However, we have gotten information from trolls that were alive at the time that the troll lifestyle was a mixture between tribal and militaristic.
"The land in between the two coasts is mostly made up of plains and hills, with a few scattered woodlands and marshes. It is in this area where the humans resided. From old folklore and artifacts, it is widely believed that our ancestors came from the Veil Islands that surrounded the Medium. The first people in the Medium were nomadic and generally tried to keep to themselves, finding the carapacians too frustrating and confusing to currently do business with, and the few trolls they actually encountered too intimidating and terrifying to approach.
"After a few decades, they eventually came upon tribes of sentient reptiles and amphibians already living in the area. The cold-blooded creatures found the humans fascinating and began to follow the nomads wherever they went. Eventually, the early nomads grew fond of them and took them as their consorts. Together, the two species built small towns and villages and worked together to thrive.
"The three races lived in relative peace until one day, Prospit and Derse went into war with one another. The reason for the war is lost to time, but what is remembered is that it was a long and bloody war. The humans and consorts tried their best not to get involved, but they were eventually forced to choose sides. The only ones who remained truly neutral were the trolls, who quickly spotted the advantage of being seen as fables. While the kingdoms fought each other, the trolls attacked without discrimination, using all the chaos and confusion as their cloak to wreak havoc. In turn, the damage the trolls did were often linked to one of the kingdoms and caused even more fighting, something the trolls took glee in.
"After a century of warring, the kingdoms found themselves at a stalemate. No amount of manpower, warfare, assassinations, or double-crossings could give either side an advantage. So at long last a truce was passed between the kingdoms. But the fighting didn't stop right away; the trolls continued to lay siege upon the kingdoms and human settlements at night, caught up in their eagerness for wanton destruction.
"Enemies became allies, and the kingdoms and humans joined forces to fight the trolls once and for all. Consorts were sent as scouts to discover where the troll's subterranean dwellings were and soon after, the attack on the trolls was commenced. They ambushed the trolls during the day, pushing them to the surface and fighting relentlessly. Overwhelmed, the majority of the trolls were forced to flee, escaping to the seas they claimed to have once been their home. There were attempts to follow those trolls and bring them to justice, but all trails vanished past the Veil Islands.
"With most of the trolls driven away, a delicate peace had fallen over the continent. Prospitians could enter Derse, Dersites could walk into Prospit, and humans and their consorts were relieved to be neutral once more. Any trolls that remained were considered lower class citizens, forced to live in slums and having a hellish time to redeem themselves in the eyes of the carapacians and humans.
"Eventually, the kingdoms united to become Pros-Derse. Prospit became royalty and upper class—be it Prospitian, Dersite, or human—lived as well as being the more academic and cultural focus of the kingdom. Derse on the other hand became known as the section where the middle and lower class lived, with a focus on trade and merchants. Along the sea side of both sections is where the fishers, sea-side merchants, and trolls lived, a crowded area with numerous ports, harbors, inns, taverns and slums scattered along it. The land where the humans once lived became agricultural lands for Pros-Derse, and the abandoned dwellings of trolls became efficient, near-inescapable prisons.
"And that is where we must stop today, children. Tomorrow will go over the Pros-Derse Navy and carapacian lines of royalty. Until then, you are dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your day."
As soon as those words were uttered, the young royals ran out the room, eager to spend the day however they wished. As they exited, nine-year old Dave Strider eagerly told his friends about how his big bro was getting promoted today and how one day he'd join him in the navy. He said that his bro was gonna teach him how to sword fight today in celebration. Walking aside him, Rose Lalonde rolled her eyes, but smiled humoredly at her friend's excitement as she continued to knit.
One of his friends an eight-year old John Egbert, paused on the flight of stairs to look out the tower's window. He stood on the tip of his toes, staring out into the sea. Even from his viewpoint he could already see the large white sails of a returning ship on the horizon. He sighed, pressing his hand on the window; the lock was too high for him to reach, but he could feel the wind blowing against the glass, the faint smell of the ocean slipping through the cracks. He held onto the scent, and soon his mind wandered to the adventures sailors had.
What tales did they bring back with them? Did they fight with ferocious sea monsters? Did they brave fearsome storms? Did they encounter blood-thirsty pirates and bring them to justice? Perhaps they found new lands loaded with treasure…
As his mind filled with millions of scenarios, he was joined by his sister, Jade Harley. She looked out the window as well, her thoughts beginning to wander along the same path. They glanced at each other, making a silent vow. They know that the world outside Prospit walls was far from safe, but they were only entranced by said dangers.
"Yo, John!" The siblings' daydreams were broken at this. Standing further down the stairs was Dave and Rose. "C'mon! We're about to check if Ms. Paint is makin' cookies!"
Tempted by the prospect of baked goods, John and Jade quickly joined their friends, ignoring Dave's warnings about stairs. Thoughts of adventure faded to the back of their mind in favor of treats and figuring out the best puppy dog face to show Ms. Paint.
It would only be a matter of time before the thoughts returned and their silent vow remembered…