Long ago, there were a race of creature that were incredibly smart, prolific, and dangerous. They were known as the "Manlings".
The Manlings brought tools and order to the land, and invented a good many things. The Manlings formed tribes, and grouped themselves away from each other, for they feared and hated that which they did not understand.
Manlings were consumed with having shiny trinkets, which they fished from pits in the ground. They wore these treasures about their bodies, to show their importance in the world. While this desire for trinkets was powerful, it was nothing compared with the greed to have still newer and shinier trinkets to parade in front of each other.
Other tribes coveted these treasures, and they fought each other over them. This constant war pushed the Manlings into inventing better and new ways to kill each other, which began to drive their entire civilization into war machines.
Eventually, one of the Manlings invented a device that was so powerful, that when it exploded on the rival tribe, it broke the world into two halves, known as the Great Fissure. One can still see the fissure marking the land, today.
The Manlings themselves were nearly wiped out from the bomb's mighty blast, but enough still stood to be dangerous, and they collected the trinkets of the dead.
From the Great Fissure crawled the beasts and monsters and ghosts of the underworld, now freed by the Manling's bomb. These creatures, collectively known as "the Monsters" were slaves to a mighty and dark race known as the Gorgoths.
The Monsters were very happy to be free, and they attempted to celebrate with the Manlings. Because the Monsters were large and powerful, they sometimes damaged the Manlings with their large claws and big teeth.
Terrified, the Manlings retreated to their tribes and fought off the Monsters whenever they could. While they had no scales or claws or dangerous teeth, they still preserved some of the knowledge of war, and used their weapons in anger and fear.
The Monsters did not understand the Manlings, and the Manlings did not understand the Monsters.
The Monsters retreated into the dark places of the world to hide from the greedy and dangerous Manlings, and made their homes in the wilds and woods and shadowy places.
Eventually the Manlings and the Monsters prospered and their numbers grew, and they formed mighty nations.
Barondook was formed by the Manlings, and they controlled the cities and fields of the land, and turned forests into orchards.
The Mighty War was fought and the Manlings were wiped out by the Pathos bomb.
The Monsters finally ruled MONSTRU, and things were good.
(For about 100 years.)