The Seven Martyrs

Also known as the "The Seven" or "The Martyrs", these seven were the founders of the many orders and institutions in the land of Tal'Ria, and were the first mortals to participate, and eventually end, the War of Heavens. They were colleagues and associates of each other, working as mutual companions during their ventures throughout Tal'Ria and across many of planes of existence. Most historians have established that the end of the War of Heavens marked the beginning of the Third Era.

Oduum the Wise
Founder of the White Blades, this half-elf became a master of both arcane and divine magics before passing into history. No grave site has been discovered, though oral tradition among the White Blades says that he entered the infinite layers of the Abyss, with the help of Giraud the Gray, and sealed demons away from the material plane.

Ravaphine Quiwenys, Apostle of the Void
Monks across Tal'Ria, and Voidwalker monks in particular, often look towards this Martyr as their founder and chief teacher. Born during the early portion of the Second Era, this she-elf took up vows of self-denial and to the protection and curation of knowledge. Through much effort, and with the assistance of Oduum the Wise, Ravaphine uncovered the means for mortals to enter and explore other planes of existence. She convinced Jindryt, Lord of the Green and his allies to assist during the War of Heavens, ultimately forsaking eternal enlightenment and fusing her soul with Jindryt, becoming Zumara, Guardian Eternal. It is said that Zumara placed itself at the entrance of the Nine Hells, prohibiting devils entry into the Material Plane. Her followers speak of a floating palace, built as her place of solitude and rest, somewhere in the Astral Plane, now closed to even the most devoted among the Voidwalkers.

Engelise, Forged of Dust
This she-dwarf brought together the dwarven patriarchs, Vammatin Drakebelt, Barizuuk Gloomdrinker, Hossed Bright-Hammer, Kagguk Anvil-Singer, Tumlen Frost-Jaw, Girrid Red-Forge, and Umbalak the Blackshield (formerly Gloomdrinker) to defend the Sapphire Citadel during the War of Heavens. As the Sapphire Citadel was beset by armies of fire giants under the command of the demon lord Count Bozzorleth. Engelise, with the help of the patriarchs and her warhammer, Fury, held her ground against the onslaught, but was felled due to the betrayal of Umbalak the Blackshield. After this, the dwarven patriarchs rallied, swearing to defend the families within the Sapphire Citadel, and to bring Umbalak to justice, or to die trying. After six days, they pushed the fire giants back, eventually allowing time for Julius, Oduum, and Ravaphine to exorcise Count Bozzorleth back to the Nine Hells. Their commander gone, the fire giant army broke, and the Seven Martyrs resolved to end the War of Heavens.

Julius Odaf, Master Artificer
Founder of the continent-sized mega-city, Dal'Seth, Julius was a gnome inventor who specialized in forging magical artifacts and golems. Historians disagree if the Dulgzeth-Jarm was created by Julius or Oduum, though many gnomes insist that Oduum's specialization to fight against demonkind and the undead makes it unlikely that he would bend his efforts to such a titanic feat of arcane engineering. He died during the Second Era defending Dal'Seth against the Umbral Coalition. Though some gnomes have put together several expeditions to the continent of Dal'Seth in order to recover his remains, none have been successful to date.

Giraud the Gray
Founder of the Spirekeepers, Giraud the Gray was once a valiant knight and crusader against evil, but after spending most of his life exacting violence, he retired to a life of pacifism and devoted himself to the mending of wounds and giving sanctuary to the weak. His tomb lies in one of the major spires on Tal'Ria, though none of the members claim knowledge of its location, or that his body was entombed at all. Oral tradition among the Spirekeepers is that Giraud, long past his prime and well into his old age, met his end hiding a Tiefling mother and her children from an orc warchief and his band of marauders.

Sheldraz umm Salraz, the Reckless Fang
Perhaps one of the most controversial of the Martyrs, Sheldraz was an orc warchief, and the first female warchief among the orcs in written or oral history. It was her warriors which fought at the Hills of Oglejan, her warriors who bled and fought beside the Dulgzeth-Jarm at the Fields of Blood, and it was she who fell defending the gates at Nechemal. It is through her actions that the orcs from the Broken Fang are allowed to exist beside the civilized races of Tal'Ria. As per tradition, her body was cremated after she fell at the Battle of Nechemal Falls, and her possessions gifted to her children and grandchildren. Many orcs, both of the Broken Fang and the Iron Dagger will make a pilgrimage to that ancient battle site at least once in their lifetime, and to the spire built by the Spirekeepers in honor of her memory.

The Veiled Exarch
Records point to a seventh martyr, though any descriptive reference of this martyr is absent (e.g., the journal of Jilda Hayroska will speak of an adventure involving five of the Martyrs, and will eventually name four of them, but the fifth will remain unnamed and undescribed). A mural found in the palace at Aelendorain and few other locations in the Sylvan Forest depicts the Seven, and many locations found in the Dal'Seth Ruins depicts seven figures. Due to the secretive nature of this Martyr, some historians theorize that this Martyr was the founder of the Hand of Halmar, though Halmar was a human who lived and died in the middle of the Third Era, and all records of this final Martyr disappear after the fall of Dal'Seth some five hundred years prior.