Ancients

Ancients is gather term for Kyot and Nampaal races, as both races are incredibly old, exact number is uknown but it is definetely thousands of years.

History of Ancients are generally divided into 3 main segments: Dawn, Isolation and Resurface.

Dawn
It is very little known about Dawn of the Ancients, but its an era when both races lived if not on the surface, but at least fairly close to it. No records exist to know if there were any other sapient ancient race existing in this period.

Most information available is folklore tales about culture of Kyot and Nampaal, which mention age of prosperity and relative peace until they angered the gods which led to next stage Isolation.

Isolation
Sometimes referred as ice age by the ancient was period when lands froze, natural cataclysms occurred and living on surface was impossible. Ancients attempted to shelter from this period underground but strength of cataclysm got stronger so they had to go deeper until they reached the Haven. Remains of Kyot and Nampaal settled in Haven and lived in very tense but peaceful period.

Then one day the strong earthquake happened, shifting soil and rock, and closing the only path back to the surface. Suddenly ancient got a big dilemma of limited space and food sources in Haven. Which led to constant war between Kyot and Nampaal, though neither of them ever got an upper hand due structure of the Haven caves, where main choke point barely ever got broken through by either side.

During isolation both races had re-adapt their culture to survive, prioritizing recycling of any possible biological material. Thankfully haven Haven cave system has several underground lakes which became crucial to survival.

Isolation stage length went beyond centuries, to a point ancients forgot what it is to be on surface and dark underground became a new home. Sadly in such limited conditions their culture and technology stagnated, and even somewhat degraded greatly. Ancients had no access to fire, metalworking and other complex technologies and used fairly primitive tools.

Kyot were the most motivated to escape Haven prison, but after several centuries of fruitless effort to dig their way out they gave up trying to focus on conquering Haven for themselves from Nampaal.

Resurface
Ironically, what cause their imprisonment was also their key to freedom. Another strong earthquake created new pathways up, which were rapidly exploited by Kyot, desperate for additional living space. With additional digging Kyot reached new caves and from there continued digging in all direction until hitting blackfur and troglodyte tunnels. Getting a taste of freedom and new sources of long awaited abundance of food Kyot dedicated big amount of their workforce to work in tunnels and expand further. This didn't go unnoticed by Nampaal, surprised by much weaker defense and unaware of the new pathways, they expected treachery and preparation of Kyot to strike and launched their own preemptive attack. For the first time in ancient history a battle in Haven had a decisive victory and Nampaal seized control over whole Haven.

Resentfull surviving Kyot decided to abandon their old home and not attempt to retake it, at least for now, using new acquired space and food to expand their nation and avenge their brethren. Some even suggested trying to collapse tunnels to seal Nampaal alone, but due spiritual value of Haven it was decided just block Nampaal access.

Kyot very soon made first contacts to new sapient life on surface, already developed human and saurian settlements had much more sophisticated technology and numbers. After a rough start of minor conflicts relations calmed down and Kyot even managed to learn common surface languages, purely motivated to repopulate and explore world again Kyot were very reluctant to fight with stronger foes.

Obviously Nampaal while claiming Haven to themselves weren't satisfied seeing majority of Kyot escaping into tunnels, and not attempting to return. Suspecting a long awaited escape from their isolation Nampaal grew restless preparing another offensive to break throught again. Ater year of preparation Nampaal strike, and find sucess yet again, with Kyot nation spreading and losing focus on their grievances with Nampaal to keep them down. After defeating main outpost of Kyot blocking exit from Haven Nampaal finally could breathe fresh air again. Thankfully to more docile nature and already established contacts with Kyot surfacers were less disturbed by discovering a new Nation emerging from underground.

It has being many centuries after the Resurface, and ancients existance is a common fact on many surface nations. Technology, knowledge and population of the ancients are booming after contacting surface cultures and new resources, while trade allows both sides to achieve exotic materials. Currently both ancients live primarly underground and try to repopulate, with Kyot having more success having a headstart and more biologically predisposed to breed faster. Both races are not used to live on surface anymore, and prefer to leave underground only during nighttime, though Kyot finding some sucess on semi-surface colonies in coastal area. Ancients tensions got somewhat evened out, but Kyot still feel a grudge over Nampaal occupying Haven and using it as their capital, but due wide spread of both races new independant underground city states are already formed which can have their own views on their ancient conflict.

Relations
Surface races have mixed opinions on ancients depending on culture, some are still hostile seeing them as abominations, small portion seeing them as potential allies and majority being generally cautious feeling the culture gap.

Generally Nampaal are having better diplomatic and trade success, while rapidly breeding Kyots splintering into new clans every year some of which are more intrusive and aggressive in life of surfacers are usually being less welcome. While both races are fine with eating sapient species, Kyot with their more active surface hunting are more infamous for this activity making relations even more difficult.