The Orthan survivors
After the calamity, the Orthan Confederation was shattered. Its ruling council of master engineers had been decimated to a single survivor. When the Elemental gate imploded, only those far enough from the epicenter survived. Of these survivors a lot were maimed for life by corrupted arcane energy. It took a long time before they slowly regrouped within their old mountain fortresses in the Rigid Peak Mountains. Abandoned for a long time, these were a relic to times of old, before they had moved to the sprawling cities that towered above the landscaped. Before they had established themselves at the center of trade in a peaceful world in which none had dared to threaten them due to their fearsome arsenal of highly engineered weapons.
From their mountain strongholds they began to slowly re-establish their trade routes, but not without setbacks. Most other races shunned them, blaming them for what had happened. The roads had been made unsafe, infested by Elementy and the center of the continent was now an impassable, arcane corrupted wasteland now known as the Voidlands. In time however, with sheer determination, ingenuity and grit they were able to adapt to these new realities .
Now they plan on retaking the realms that are rightfully theirs. With massive machines they managed to neutralize small parts of the Arcane Wastes. However these machines require a lot of energy. Energy only obtained from the crystals collected from the Elementy. Such high demand quickly drained the market, and prices skyrocketed.
Bebel, survivor, adventurer, genius.
Bebel was still young when the Cataclysm happened. His uncle, Grand Engineer Uri had been the only one heeding the warning signs; he managed to get him and his sister out in time. His parents, unfortunately , had been conducting their trade at the center of the capital when it happened, and perished. Nonetheless Bebel grew up to be a positive young man, always seeing opportunities where others only saw obstacles. He was smart, brave, handsome, frolic, rash and somewhat mischievous.
One day his uncle asked him to take a package of trade-goods to Runedal. Bebel, rash as always, decided it would take too long to take the conventional route. With a small shortcut through the voidlands he would be at his destination a lot faster, saving him time to indulge himself in the fine wine Runedal was known for. Besides, what is life without a little adventure? Halfway through however, he was ambushed by Elementy. Without any combat experience the only option for him was to flee, leading him further into the Voidlands. By the time his uncle finally found him, severe arcane corruptions had spread through his body. His uncle managed to stabilize the boy but he would forever be marked and had to be seriously enhanced with mechanical prosthetics to function normally.
This did not crush Bebel’s spirit. He decided he would never want to feel so helpless again. After much opposition from his uncle he joined the Freeway Brigade. For the next few years, this elite Orthan organization, tasked to keep the trade routes clear of Elementy, taught him the skills of a fighter.
But when he heard of his uncle's noble plans of purging the Void Lands of arcane corruption he quit the brigade and rushed to his side. For the great machines that his uncle had built they needed crystals, loads of crystals. Bebel, now a skilled fighter, gladly provided him with crystals by hunting the creatures that were the cause of his corrupted body. However this all didn't go fast enough for Bebel’s liking. Thus proposed the idea of venturing into the rift for larger quantities of crystals. His uncle, knowing Bebel would eventually wander either way , back-up plan or not, eventually relented and started his work on the device that could stabilize a rift for a prolonged amount of time, which would allow sufficient time for the adventurers to enter these rifts.
He would allow Bebel to use it, but under one condition. He would need a group of skilled warriors to accompany him. Besides, if they would keep this great invention a secret, the other races would surely see it as an insult if they ever found out.They could not afford to lose face, not after working so hard to re-establish their fragile relations. So the word was sent out.
Bebel was ecstatic. Adventure and glory would await. He would forever be known as the savior of the Orthan race.