Tale of Diep:The Middle Era

The Middle Era is the time period in which The Tale of Diep occurs. It is the middle of the five eras of recorded tank history. The Old Era proceeds it and the Reanimation Era will supposedly proceed it. The Middle Era started around the 28th century, and is yet to end.

Events
The Middle Era begins at the end of the Old Era, when Panzer was sealed away by a group of twelve powerful ritualists. For the first century of the Middle Era, the skies burned and the realm remained uninhabitable by mortals. The Sons of Panzer, being demigods, used this time to recoup and reassemble while the lesser beings hid in the shadow.

When the fallout passed and the storm cleared, things were relatively normal, save for the evil presence of Panzer's omniscient eyes having been gone at last. People were free to do what they wanted without fear. Tanks quickly socialized and formed civilizations, and quickly became a dominant across the realm. Most players never see the realm, as they are stuck in the Arena. The Arena and the realm are very different places. The Cult of Panzer just orchestrates much of their actions in Arenas because there is a large concentration of opposition there.

The Realm is just as it is in this world, trees, skies, etc. Polygons flourish beyond the walls of tank cities. Because of an encounter in the Old Era, many do not go out into the realm and mess with the Polygons.

Fortresses began being erected by the Cult of Panzer outside of the arena, only to be warped in and eventually out again when the time was right. Fortresses house the Sons of Panzer, whom are indirect affiliates with the Cult. However, one Son actively works with them on behalf of the Great Dark One himself, supposedly. Many Fortresses must be rebuilt by the end of a battle with the tanks in the Arena.

Of worth, what was attributed to the true start of the Middle Era was the discovery of Panzer Tokens, silver disks with testaments to death etched into them. These tokens are said to be made of the essence of the evil god himself. When mortals emerged again when the ash of Panzer's sealing cleared, these tokens were found astrew anywhere people traveled. Most were hoarded and collected by the Cult in their prime, and the rest were never seen again. No one knows the coins' true purpose, but whenever one of the Cult's elite dies, a few of these are always left behind...

The Archprophet discovered the Tower of Gladii only days after the realm was habitable again. The Tower of Gladii holds all the records and tablets kept by Panzer's kin in the Old and Panzer Era. There he read the tales and epiphany hit him. The Archprophet was previously one of the twelve ritualists who sealed the Great Dark One away. And now... he was his voice to the world. He started the Cult of Panzer not too long after, and through blood and sword they spread the word of Panzer.

Now, still stuck in this age of struggle and terror, the future will be only determined whoever wins out in this fight for power: The nefarious Archprophet and his terrible Cult... or us, the tanks who just want to live as what we are. But as we've always said... in a time of conflict and war like this, swords must swing and blood must bleed.