History of Rak'Than

Founding

Rak'Than was established in the year 500 by the Archmagus Rak'Than, who ordered the citizens of Riverhelm to relocate to the nearby caldera in order to provide a "defence from the loss of tranquility in the world" three years before.<ref>Archmagus Rak'Than (497), Danger is Coming </ref>

The Archmagus drew up a city plan spanning the entire caldera. The first formal plans were that of an oddly efficient city laid out in a grid over a tiered circle. Streets that ran northwest to southeast were given the names of locally grown alchemical ingredients, and the streets that ran northeast to southwest were numbered beginning with northernmost.

While some of the villagers had begun living in the caldera, construction on the city began properly in the summer of 498, starting with the west side of the river, establishing a dock and a nearby residential era. A quarter of the residents of Riverhelm had moved by the official announcement.<ref>Paragon Prevari, Collected Memoirs and Letters of Archmagus Rak'Than </ref>

Within the span of a year, the surge of beast attacks the Archmagus Rak'Than had predicted began to occur. The smaller events culminated in a worg attack that claimed the lives of three families with small children. The Archmagus, along with his personal guard, dispatched the menace and implored those still residing there to leave with him.

According to his memoirs, the speech endeared the Archmagus to the populous and cemented his position as the leader of the newly founded Rak'Than. The office created to head the government of the new city was called the Paragon and as appointed state duties along with a personal guard called the Guardians. Upon the Archmagus's death, the office of the Paragon was made an elected office, in accordance with his last wishes.