Before the rise of the Howling Empires, history lies shrouded in myth and legend. As far as the wisest sages and philosophers can reconstruct, humanity began in the deepest parts of the Living Lands of Arumo, most likely on the continent now called Gomas. The lives of early humans were simple, with the land providing food and resources in abundance. Humans multiplied and spread, until all the best land had been inhabited.

With the best land unavailable, other humans were forced to settle in areas that contained less food, or possessed many dangerous predators. These humans were forced to adapt. Rather than gathering only freely growing food from the land, they took to gathering organisms that could be used as tools: creatures with spines could be used as weapons to protect against predators, while large, docile creatures could be ridden great distances over open expanses, and slow-moving creatures could be herded and used as reliable sources of food throughout the year.

Eventually, it was discovered that creatures were very malleable—by changing their forms, the offspring would bear similar alterations. With this in mind, groups of humans began to change their environment, producing sharper blades, faster mounts, and altogether better equipment.

As humans settled down to reap the benefits of their new discoveries, the first cities appeared. This state persisted for an unknown period of time, during which humans grouped together into larger and more powerful cities, technology growing more refined with each passing year.

Recorded history begins with the Howling Empires. These were dozens of city-states scattered over Arumo, constantly warring for power and influence. Several times, one became dominant and conquered the others, only to be fragmented by internal pressures and barbarian raids.

Eventually, the situation stabilized, with several major empires aligned with many minor ones. A complex web of alliances appeared, making open warfare too risky. Networks of trade began to spring up, disrupted only occasionally by brief wars and raiding parties. Poets and bards exchanged their stories, creating myths and legends that exist to the present age.

The greatest change in the structure of the empires came with the return of the Ngoroi: the Living Gods. After slumbering for millennia, they had returned to awareness. Ruthless and ambitious, the Ngoroi started to expand. They formed armies of loyal followers, tearing down the old alliances and trade routes in an effort to form a stable body of followers. Wars ripped across Arumo, and nations were pitted against one-another, controlled by the powerful servitors of the Living Gods.

As the Living Gods grew in power and influence, fanaticism and strife spread through Arumo. The more powerful gods recruited or devoured their weaker rivals, and spread out to control entire continents. Independent city-states were devastated by the incessant warfare among the Ngoroi and their followers.

One small nation found itself beset on all sides by servants of different Ngoroi. When a new Nassa ascended to the throne, she knew that Arumo would be destroyed unless she could find some way of keeping the Ngoroi at bay. To clear her mind, she wandered deep into the wilderness. However, one of the Ngoroi spotted her intruding in its realm, and set its beasts upon her. She fled through the forest, eventually arriving in a clearing. The Nassa found herself surrounded by swarming beasts, but they did not approach, instead circling warily.

Only then did she notice the plant hidden in the foliage. It was something she had never seen before, with clusters of delicate petals of all colors. A few others were scattered about the clearing, their form plainly different from the surrounding forest. The animals avoided them as if they were poisonous.

The Nassa took one of the flower bundles and fled back to her city. The plants no longer lashed out at her as she passed, and the animals remained at a distance, pursuing her until turned back by the weapons of her guards, who escorted her the rest of the way to the city.

There, she sat down to study her new find. The flower bundle did not appear to be an Ngoro. When she slept, it did not speak to her. When she prayed for intercession, it did nothing. She was growing frustrated when an emissary from Sahnuk, one of the many Gods that wanted to rule Arumo, requested an audience. She granted it. The emissary entered, and began to make his ornate speech, until he noticed the bouquet sitting across the room. Clearly terrified, he begged for dismissal, and literally fled the room the moment it was granted.

The Nassa then suspected she understood the ability of the flowers. She invited another emissary from another Ngoro to speak with her, and then another. They all panicked upon seeing the unassuming bouquet.

With this new power, the Nassa knew she could win her city’s freedom. As the assembled forces of a dozen Ngoroi prepared to make Arumo into a battleground, she and her most skilled philosophers learned to cross-pollinate the flowers. Soon there were dozens, then hundreds, then thousands. She sent her workers to wreathe the city in flowers. In days, flowers were growing in and around every major building, and in weeks, they had woven themselves into the walls. There they stopped, but the message to the Ngoro was clear: this city is off-limits. Not even the mightiest God could cross the barrier.

Thus was Arumo made safe from the encroaching Gods. However, while the Ngoroi could not conquer it, they could certainly use it. Arumo acquiesced to being a sort of neutral ground for the affairs of the Gods, allowing their emissaries (entirely human ones, those who could survive the flowers) to enter and debate their positions without resorting to open violence. With the Ngoroi using the city as neutral ground, Arumo became the center of the world, all other nations looking to it for guidance.

For hundreds of generations, Arumo increased in power and influence, carefully playing the most powerful Gods off against one-another. The society of Arumo began to stratify, with the Tasami (the rulers) being cultivated for intelligence and charisma, the Kalutoi (the experts) being bred for proficiency and aptitude, and the Drolai (the workers) being bred for strength and docility. Other nations followed this practice, and in several dozen generations, a strict caste structure had formed. The term "Arumo," which had once referred only to the city, came to be applied to the entire known world.

Despite Arumo’s greatness, its reign was not to last forever. While the Ngoroi had always tolerated the existence of Arumo, using it in the only way they could, most still craved absolute power, and so long as Arumo existed, that could never be attained. They waited for Arumo to show the slightest signs of instability.

This came with a series of wars, principally between the two great nations of Kanath and Zathagua, which had always been antagonists. Arumo struggled to prevent the nations from dragging the entire region into war. It was somewhat successful, and the explosive conflict died down into a simmering cold war.

There were many other crises, however. The mad crafter Ivora shaped an army of humanoid creatures from the primordial pools, giving them rudimentary intellects and using them to form a massive army. She was eventually defeated, and her horrible followers scattered to the winds, but it left Arumo vulnerable.

The final blow came with the Shambling Plague. A terrible infection swept through regions around Arumo, infecting the bodies of the dead and returning them to a shambling mockery of life. Thought to be created by one of the Ngoroi, it was devastating, wiping out entire regions. Arumo’s entire army was forced to mobilize to destroy the creatures.

Unable to control the Ngoroi that ringed the city, Arumo started to collapse. Then, the Living Gods, united for once, played their final card, beginning the Black Petal War. A plague spread throughout the city. It left humans untouched, but ravaged the flowers that grew thickly on every building. They withered and blackened, their colors running off them like blood, black stains smearing the walls as their powers were destroyed. Arumo, which once had been alive with yellows, pinks, and greens, had faded, its flowers turned black, crimson, and purple, and devoid of their previous power.

Arumo, however, would not give in so easily, and fought to keep the Ngoroi playing off against one-another, even though it no longer had its strongest bargaining chip. It succeeded in maintaining its independence, but only by turning inward, withdrawing itself from the affairs of the other nations.

Without Arumo’s influence, the other nations fell to incessant, violent warfare, many of them collapsing completely. War and chaos spread across the world, and the Ngoroi feasted on the carnage, growing fat and powerful.

This is the Arumo of today, in an age of despair, violence, and helplessness. Unleashed armies ravage the countryside, and the each Ngoro seeks to become the ruler of all that lives. The City of Arumo is beset on all sides by powerful forces, and no one knows how long it can hold out.