Araj

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In 862 HE, three hundred years since a massive illithid invasion drove them from their home world, four Helas Vessels pierced Bal-Kriav's atmosphere. Those that came to sector Mirtheon of Bal-Kriav's Grashakh region, found themselves in good land. The refugees aboard the Svoghast Helas, a void ship built by the primordials for planetary invasions, were led by Krak-Oth; a Saint of Maen. Under him and his Durkoth people were one of the subjugated peoples of the Horgon Empire, the Theegans. Their first major settlement on Bal-Kriav was Argruxiel. Nine years later, and after successfully building other settlements and spreading their yoke at the expense of the natives, the Araj empire was formed.

Araj quickly rose to power, spreading its yoke upon the primitive peoples of northern Grashakh and into the Tribe Steppes. Its founder and ruler, Krak-Oth ruled the empire until he was called into the deeps. This was the Durkoth Descent, a time when the Durkoth left the surface for the seas, then disappeared entirely. During his rule, one of his most powerful lieutenants was Orthraak. This underling controlled the lands around Argruxiel, while his master ruled from Zînin-Gulc.

Between 1100 HE and 1200 HE, Bal-Kriav's Durkoth began to change into something more aquatic. Eventually all of them mutated. This period of transformation and migration to the seas, both surface and Underdark, became known as the Durkoth Descent (995 HE - 1355 HE). Holdings that for so long were ruled by the Durkoth were left to be governed by those that once served them. Araj and the land around it came to be known as Theegan lands.

Early in the First Epoch, Theegan cultists spreading zoolatry, more specifically, the reverence of horses. This was a major affront to the one that led them, and now their patron god. On 13 Saunas 43, the god Krak-Oth in violation of the Mandate of the Heavens, cursed these sacrilegious worshipers. As a result of this curse, thousands of cultists awoke the next day as centaur abominations. These creatures, a new race, came to to be known as the Jara. The jara rose in their new forms with no knowledge of what they were or of those around them; and with a murderous intent that persists even today. They turned on the Theegans and any other creature that crossed their path - usually just for sport.

The Araj empire steadily declined as jara raids paralyzed commerce and trapped the people in their holds. The marauders burned crops wantonly and would not parley for anything except for giving them time to make a surprise attack. Those that did get away migrated south and southeast into the Northern Hordelands, far from the presence of the roving bands of jara. By the Year 49, the Araj empire was no more. Over the next two decades, the refugees of this fallen empire were on the path to rebuilding their civilization at Briltarn and Incubus.

Most of the descendants of this fallen empire are now part of the Witch Horde.