First Mortal Epoch
Following the great war at the end of the Second Immortal Epoch, the Gods are confused and scattered, and most of the Ankyreans are dead. The remaining Ankyrean tribes begin subjugating the "lesser races" and begin forming their own small empires. The Endorone cult forms among the subjugated dwarves, studying the power of life essence and deriving techniques to use in conflict with the Ankyreans. A splinter sect within the Endorone beseeches Chakrasul for aid, and She teaches them the forbidden magic of the Chaos Plane and the corruptive force of Necromancy. In Hlugnic, the language of "high" dwarves, "endoron" means "mage". Other races begin using the modified form, "Indoron", as shorthand for "despair".
The Endorone conquer Bloodloch in a vicious civil war and drive out the disloyal dwarves, but then collapse under internal stresses as the Chakrasulian cult displaces the original Endoron and embraces their role as bringers of despair. The Indoron move on the rest of Sapience, intending to conquer it.
A man named Idar Karif unites several scattered settlements as "the armies of the Light", and builds his Castle of Illumination. He then pitches his armies against those of the Indoron. The forces of Light harry the Indoron from the southeast, whittling down their forces as their once-green recruits become veterans in facing the dark magi. Facing resistance for the first time in a long time, the Indoron retreat into Bloodloch and the surrounding lands, fighting running battles against enemy regiments.
Idar Karif meets and marries Catiana, a lady of mysterious origins, and the crusade against the Indoron becomes more brutal. Soon, Idar becomes paranoid, even towards members of his own closest circle, and he casts them out of his Castle. Internal schisms continue to form within the armies of the Light, as Lady Catarina's presence drives Idar and his men into their own extremes of mad devotion. At its height, Idar Karif murders every person living in the Castle of Illumination and throws himself from the parapets to his death.
Lady Catarina is revealed to be an invocation of Chakrasul as she takes the Castle of Illumination for Herself, rechristening it Tiyen Indoron and removing it from mortal knowledge and sight. Fuelled by the sacrifice of Idar Karif's men, a black rain of corruption falls over the south, tainting land and mortals both and swaying them towards corruption. The Dark Empire rises from the now-fertile ground, beneath the black banner of the thirteen-pointed star. The remaining Indoron armies, led by the brutal Yetrent, assist the Dark Empire in pushing back the unified forces of Light with Goddess-given powers. At this time, the Dun Fortress is constructed in the western Vashnars, and the dungeon of Azdun is built underground.
The Wars of Power begin as the Dark Empire mandates the construction of the landmarks and the forces of Light discover how to manipulate them. Within the Citadel of Spinesreach, the Ankyrean Order is formed in an effort to combat the Dark Empire, with the shadowy Syssin working behind the scenes to further the reach of the Order.
The Pantheon is petitioned for support, and They grant it, putting Their blessing behind the armies of the Ankyreans. The consolidation of power marks the end of the First Mortal Epoch as the war between the Indoron and Ankyreans comes to a stalemate.