Third Mortal Epoch

This Epoch is that which is known in the vernacular as the Midnight Age, and begins in the year 1MA.

FIFTH EPOCH - MIDNIGHT AGE - THIRD MORTAL EPOCH

??MA

• Abhorash is embraced as a Consanguine and the four houses are established.
• The Demon Blade rises to prominence.
• The First Totem War takes place in Tasur'ke, as the town angers the Hunter by expanding.
• Bloodloch is resettled by Abhorash.

60MA

• Lanos, the Lord of Truth, sacrifices Himself to seal off the Shadow Plane from spilling into the Prime Material.
• Through a ritual led by Haern, the Great Oak is awakened as a conduit of Dendara.

70MA

• Rahn is born from a mortal hero and the violent torture at the hands of an unnamed God, erupting from His volcano in a rage.

80MA

• The name of Chakrasul, the unnamed God, is revealed by a powerful lich named Amairgen through a necromantic ritual.
• The Sword of Lanos is shattered by Severn, leading to a crisis with the Shadow Plane that is promptly resolved. Lanos is confirmed as dead.

90MA

• The latest of many skirmishes between the failed Ankyrean experiment, Zsarachnor, and the displaced Llazuth rock the lower levels of Azdun. In the aftermath, a servant of Llazuth, Lachesis, is returned to the service of the Spider Queen, and the Black Keep is revealed.
• Lleis is awoken from the Mitrine stone in the Liruma Scrubland.
• The failing Priest guild splinters, and the Luminaries are founded under the guidance of Sahmie Rhashye.
• Two of the landmarks of the War of Power are rediscovered, these being the Orrery and the Horologue.
• The Ankyrean citadel of Spinesreach is uncovered in the Tarea Mountains, much to the torment of Qeddwyn.
• An ancient sword, a failed precursor to the legendary Demon Blade, is uncovered beneath Hashan and subsequently destroyed after a resounding failure by the lich Amairgen to control it and the slaughter of many residents of the city.
• A faction of Sentaari, led by Clio Thetis, sacrifice their grasp of Kaido for their own Inner Spark, following after the Luminaries and becoming the Daru.

100MA

• The existence of the Grand Artifice becomes known to mortalkind.
• A visitation to Zahmekoses and followers by the shade of Habbak, the last Ard-Dhasan of Spinesreach, culminates in the opening of the citadel and resettlement of the city for the first time since the fall of the Ankyrean Order.
• Following complaints and insults from Eocik, a farmer of Spinesreach and harvester of secrets, the Cabal is founded within the citadel.

110MA

• Enslaved Dwarven labourers in the caverns of Bloodloch rediscover a rusted blade, likely that of the shattered Demon Blade. Escaping the clutches of the lich Amairgen with the weapon, the Dwarf ultimately surrenders it to the hands of Trabarg, the Archaeologist of Shallam and Dorin Silverbeard, a forger of some repute.
• Ultimately, the blade is stolen by the Consanguine and bloodshed engulfs Hashan once again, after which Gar'losha himself awakens and retakes his blade, plunging it into his own chest and destroying both himself and his weapon.
• Djeir and the Black Lake are revealed far below Azdun.
• Alongside the return of Arion, God of Valor, and His Isle, war collides with the distant city of Ashtan in the form of shiploads of Nazetu. Only the intervention of Duiran prevented the Nazetu establishing a permanent foothold in the Bay of Balaton, and even afterwards it is known that Chakrasul walks the land once again.
• The Black Forest south of Thera rises up and consumes the village.
• The Syssin Defenders are formed in Spinesreach from the remnants of the Shadowsnakes.

130MA

• Arbothia is founded by displaced Therans.

150MA

• An attempt is made by Vasilus and Rosalind, among others, to cure the Yggdrasil of its corruption, with limited success due to the interference of Rellin and Sigfriend Cardinalis.
• A cure for vampirism is discovered when Zsarachnor tricks his rival, Belladonna, into attaining mortality once again.
• The spirit of Azaeru attempts to refound the Naldareth, calling on the Magi to reveal the Silver Spire and Kelsys and take up the burden of watching for the Children.
• The Grand Artifice is penetrated by a shard of the Sword of Truth, revealing the Misty Isles behind the facade of Ashtan-that-was.

160MA

• The shell of Mebrene is killed when a misguided attempt to purify the Flame of the Yggdrasil, made by Ayalaine, channels corruption into Rahn's form. Forges fail to light and the sun fails to shine.
• Necia, the Luminary tutor, is killed when Mebrene attempts to take them as a shell.
• Mebrene takes a sick child as a shell and is reborn as Auresae.
• The Sentinel tutor of the time, Vixen, is renamed Inesse by Auresae.
• Lencissa, the last leader of the Illuminai, is brought forth by Auresae to serve the Luminaries as a tutor; her long vigil over the temple has however driven her mad, and the Goddess is forced to seal off the elemental's memories. Now known as Lenci, she takes up a post in the guildhall.
• A ritual of remembrance for Tecpatl, a Rajamalan hero, frees Omei from Her prison.
• The Teradrim Sect is revealed within Bloodloch as servants of the Underking, Dhaivol.
• Two landmarks - the Fist of Dameron and Pillars of Maya - crumble to ruin.
• A Grook named Oloo, fervent campaigner for 'Free the Suicide Mice' and 'Live in harmony with the Beetles' movements, cordons off the Blood Falls, a landmark, for environmental reasons resulting from year-long marathons of blood-pouring.

170MA

• Iosyne returns to prominence.
• The Tree landmark is destroyed by lightning.
• The Crystal Cave is destroyed by an earthquake.
• The Rememberers, a group of oral historians, are revived by Qedddwyn and the Oracle Orechnai.

180MA

• Wsalaly, traitorous guardian of the Globe of Balance in Ashtan, is killed by Barrkesh of the Bahkatu. It is revealed that Wsalaly's abuse of the Globe of Balance was directly responsible for the destruction of several landmarks.

190MA

• The Second Totem War takes place in Tasur'ke as Indorani and Bahkatu aggression spurs the populace to embrace undeath and destroy their totem. After the sanctifying of a monument to undeath and the subsequent vicious warring back and forth, as well as the emergence of a holy artifact called the Savage Crown, the defending spirits are destroyed and the monument is broken, leaving Tasur'ke covered in lifeless sand.

200MA

• Around this time, the secrets of Reanimation are discovered/developed.

230MA

• The settlement of Nuunva is revealed to the wider world when a search for a missing child wanders into it.

250MA

• The Chapel Gardens are stricken with a curse of undeath as traitors in the prison bend necromancy to their own ends.

270MA

• In a bid to take the power of the Silver Spire for themselves, Saayar of the Spellshapers of Ayhesa tricks the Magi into assisting in a grand heist. When Saayar explodes due to a miscalculation, the Silver Spire is destroyed in a vortex of power, and Kelsys is destroyed along with it.
• The Kerrithrim, a huge and terrible beast, is wakened by the violence. Shastaan is utterly destroyed in its emergence.
• Arion is badly wounded in an engagement with the beast, fading away before His follower's eyes after only a brief scuffle.
• Khepri is eaten unceremoniously when ordering the Kerrithrim to 'sit'.
• A unified army is assembled from the villages across Sapience, and a plan is proposed by Corporal Cazin of the Enorian Army - using catapults, a team of warriors could be launched onto the beast, to cut into it and kill it from the inside out.
• Severn attempts to command the Kerrithrim while wearing the form of an unknown Goddess. The beast does not fall for His trick and the God loses an arm in the resulting scuffle.
• The combined assaults of Omei, Galleus, Chakrasul, Ivoln and Dhar avail them nothing, and Galleus loses an eye to the Kerrithrim.
• The beast is slain when Dreadlord Missari and the Azudim Warlord Mazzion survive the assault on the heart chamber and succeed in destroying it, and collapses beside the highway.

???MA

• Chakrasul merges with the essence of Khepri and becomes Ysmali.

290MA

• A second Master Crystal is revealed beneath the Globe of Balance as Alaihandra attempts to recruit Ianus of the Ascendril Circle into propping up the flagging guild of the Magi.
• Mitrine hunters in the Tundra accidentally trigger an explosive device in the lost Ankyrean Containment Laboratory, sending up a beacon and killing most of the group. A group of adventures move to the containment facility, and Atrapoema releases an Ankyrean biological war machine called Amalgamated Prototype - Amal for short. In his rage at discovering the loss of the Ankyrean Order, Amal killed many, only halting when confronted by Qeddwyn and ordered to stand down.

295MA

• The Dreikathi invade from the east of Sapience, sending a fleet of airships to invade Delos, bomb Spinesreach and Eleusis, and finally regroup and establish a beach head in Scidve. Polemarch Andalso declares that Sapience has been claimed in the name of the Autarch, and demands the unconditional surrender of the entire populace.
• The Aalen Forest is bombed with a terrible purple sludge, and mutations and death afflict all who live there.
• Ashtan is conquered by the Dreikathi and they begin brutally digging out the leylines once called the Seams of Balance.
• Having returned to physical existence and now seeking answers from His Brother Severn, Arion invades the minotaur village of Sterion and cuts His way into the Shadow Plane, vanishing from sight.
• Amal rises from the Great Rock and single-handedly annihilates a Dreikathi airship, destroying the Shooting Star Inn, then clashes with Polemarch Andalso directly before being struck down.
• Weeks of guerilla warfare and outright conflict, as well as the singular efforts of Villi of Spinesreach in picking off Dreikathi troops, result in the driving-back of the Dreikathi, and through the theft of an airship followed by the machinations of an elemental eld'akathi, the continent of Albedos and the city of Delve are made known to Sapience. The eld'akathi also spreads their power in benediction, passing knowledge of the Albedi tongue - previously called Herolian - to the people of Sapience.

310MA

• Dhar departs to examine the mystery of the Albedi dead. A revolt occurs within the Underking's Halls in His absence, led by the power-hungry Verkai. Edhain, Dhar's Order, as well as His High Priest Jirair, enter the Halls of Judgement to fight back Verkai but are repulsed.

320MA

• Haern attempts to cleanse the Aalen with divine fire, resulting in the wounding of the God and the emergence of blood-red stalks from the purple sludge.
• A terrible disease rises up from the stalks. Known as the Aalen Bloom, it kills many with no apparent cure.

330MA

• When the Hunter attempts to speak to the assembled people of Duiran about the nature of His wound and His work in the Aalen, it becomes apparent that He is cursed to silence. Calling upon Auresae, the congregation learns that the Artificer's mark is on Haern's geas. The sudden reappearance of Severn, wielding the stolen blade of Arion, once the Sword of Truth and now the Axiom, throws proceedings into violence, and it takes the sacrifice of a slave named Danerran to distract the Artificer long enough for His Sword to be broken and the Artificer driven off.
• With the breaking of the Axiom, Lanos' essence takes the broken body of Danerran as a shell and is reborn as Damariel. He frees Haern of His geas and speaks of Ohlsana, the Shadow Mother, and the true death of Arion. It seems that the God of Valor sacrificed his essence to fuel that of Lanos during their long imprisonment in the Axiom and the Shadow Plane.
• A sarcophagus is uncovered in mysterious circumstances below the Mhojave Desert, guarded by a terrible Gorgon. Touching this sarcophagus consumes the blight of the Aalen Bloom, as well as something deeper, from the bodies of those who do so.

340MA

• The first Idreth is born as Korvok Irontooth and Lauri pass uncovered Ankyrean writings to Spinesreach and Conduit Eleanor successfully undergoes the process.
• Roan Seluno returns from the Underhalls, and in an orgy of slaughter genocides the people of Jaru and rechristens the Infernal Knights as his Carnifex.

350MA

• Ysmali is destroyed by the accidental assistance of Niuri, as the Goddess of Mystery attempts to assist Her Sister and instead overloads her. The sad remains of Khepri form a crazed beast, swiftly caged, and the essence of Corruption takes Empress Irijali of Djeir as a shell, returning Chakrasul to the realm.

360MA

• Seeking to fill the void left by Varian's silence, Galleus looks into the Ark of the Celestine and ascends to a higher echelon, leaving His domain of Air untended. Following raging storms in Spinesreach and the uneasy cessation of weather patterns, the spirit of Air takes root in Bokag, once-king of Hashan, and is reborn as Maghak.

365MA

• Iosyne is betrayed and murdered by Her sister Omei and brother Maghak. Omei takes Her eyes, and Maghak takes Her heart.
• The planar orrery is rediscovered under Spinesreach, and the vengeful spirit of its Ankyrean tender is wrested from the young girl it was possessing and placed in a mindless shell. The spirit, Vusbati, shares with assembled Spireans some details of the Disturbance and the true origins of the Atabahi.
• After meddling by two odd, mysterious Kelki and the assistance of Xavin, the Iernian Fracture yawns wide beneath the Putoran Hills, consuming the Naldareth facility housing the Ascendril guild in the process.
• Baelak Shipbreaker, Nazedha Emperor of the Western Isles, makes landfall on Sapience. After allying himself with Bloodloch, his Nazedha Empire demands the obedience of the other three cities, only to be swiftly denied.
• Shastaan is cleansed of its Thrim infestation by the Ascendril magi and a group of Kelki called the Pact. Strange, deformed cultists and the men responsible for opening the Fracture are also found, and killed, during the purging. A settlement is built over the ruins, named Mournhold by those living there.
• The corruption of Dendara comes to a head, and in an effort to purge it of the Shadow that taints it, Lleis sacrifices Her life to merge with the plane. The Great Oak is revitalized in the process, Dendara is cleansed, and the spirits of the Praadi come forth, reforming the Shamans from the tatters of the Druid guild.

370MA

• The ancient edifice of Stormcaller Crag is reclaimed by Maghak and settled by Trolls from Hashan.
• The Nazedha Empire invades Sapience in full force, sending units of highly organized and powerful soldiers to siege the mainland.
• Their alliance with Bloodloch does not last long as the Nazedha turn on the mainlanders.
• The Dun Fortress is conquered and rededicated to the strange Chaos God of the Nazedha, Lanu Du.
• The Revelation of the Dark Spire of Nazedha is made known, shocking those scholars of Enorian who recall Sahmie's Revelation and the Age of Enlightenment.
• Prince Tolonar turns to Lanu Du and the Nazedha for power, becoming lord and regent of the Dun Fortress.
• The Entropic Acropolis, an alien shard of the Chaos Plane, along with its three strange and terrifying Lords is discovered to be accessible from the Dun Fortress.
• After a vicious, bloody, gruelling war, the Nazedha are repulsed, in part due to contracting the Aalen Bloom that once decimated Sapience. Baelak retreats back to his islands, leaving the Balaton Bay conquered by the Nazedha and founded as a new settlement.
• Iosyne is reborn in the depths of Azdun as a malignant and terrifying force, taking the name of the Malevolent. Llazuth proclaims the rebirth of the Dark Empire over the mangled corpse of Zsarachnor.

380MA

• The Sect of Blades is founded in Delos, for the glory of warriors.
• Abhorash returns, dissolves the Imperium of Blood for their crimes against the Consanguine, and institutes the Dominion with himself at its head.
• Dhar lays siege to Chakrasul's Tiyen Indoron, setting it to the flame.
• The Pious Wards of Delve are opened to foreigners, offering insight into the absent Albedi Gods.

390MA

• Emissaries of the Dark Empire tour each of the four cities, reawakening old conflicts.
• Iosyne's meddling in the Shadow Plane results in a plague of darkness afflicting both the Goddess and Her Order.
• As Iosyne succumbs to the Shadowbound plague and is replaced by a strange and unstable double, Ati stirs in ancient Farsai. Revealed to be the progeny of the Shadow Mother, Ohlsana, the creature possesses the Spirean doctor Janus Anfini after killing its own priest in an attempt at attaining a physical form.
• Severn intervenes directly to assist Moirean of Iosyne's order in understanding that her Goddess tapped into the Shadow Plane and succumbed to Ohlsana's corrupting power.
• Strange, floating jellyfish appear across Sapience as Katia of the Pact accidentally blows a hole through the planes, only narrowly prevented from becoming a total catastrophe by the Ascendril guild and Belgarion.
• Severn's intervention in Iosyne's Shadowbound state results in the return of the Goddess, although Her followers still suffer the debilitating effects of the Shadowplague.

400MA

• The threat of the strange jellies becomes apparent as they begin to nest, spawning in far greater numbers and demonstrating remarkable shapeshifting powers. The very fabric of the planes seems to warp around the pearls of their nest-spires, and intervention by Teani of Duiran and the Stormcaller Research Society is disrupted when bipedal, aggressive entities appear to seize the nests. The creatures are fought off and the jellies destroyed, and it seems stability has been returned to the Prime Material.
• A rebellion occurs in Spinesreach at the hand of the mysterious anti-republic shadow broker, Vex. ["Spirean Uproar"]
• A cult of insane Kelki is discovered under Mournhold, and the birth of a new Kerrithrim is only barely averted by an armed force of Enorianite and Duiranite warriors.
• The Kobolds of Siha Dylis reopen their settlement in the dungeons of Azdun, having rebuilt after Iosyne's rebirth ruined their realm.
• A delegation of Grecht from the distant and vast empire of the Dehkay Plateau visit the cities of Spinesreach, leaving behind a small settlement in the Northern Tundra known as Arget Efri. Soon after this, the renegade Grecht of the Siroccian Mountains open the gates of their Arget Massai atop Mount Sheine.
• Attempting to wrest power from the Source of Knowledge, Niuri is betrayed by Ivoln. The Gods watch in silence as Her hands are cut off and She is cast into the Source, destroyed almost entirely by the raging power of the rift. ["The Fall of the Ultraist"]
• The madness and corruption of Dendara are expressed once again as the ancient and cannibalistic spirits of Prophet's Hollow war with the ancestor spirits of the Praadi and the Sentinels. The Pride is gifted with new training to combat the aberrations that pour from Dendara's broken heart.
• Mortal experimentation with Niuri's salvaged hand leads to the wounding of Vrennin and the plaintive dissolution of a fragment of the Ultraist's spirit, as a ritual to anchor the fragmented Goddess goes awry.

420MA

• A cat comprised seemingly of pure energy appears in strange locales all over the land, including havens and private homes. Aside from the shockwaves produced by her meows, she seems to behave like a perfectly normal cat.
• A loud crash of collapsing stone rocks the Morgun Forest, scaring away massive flocks of birds. Finding nothing else amiss in the woods, adventurers attempt to inspect the Monolith only to discover impenetrable brambles in their path.
• The intense, buffeting vibrations produced by the cat awaken the emergence of rather friendly, jellybean-shaped creatures from beneath the city of Spinesreach.
• The overgrowth around the region of the Monolith recedes. Adventurers investigate and find the realm of Dreams spilling into, but contained by, the Prime Material Plane. The environs rapidly aged and overgrown by the woods, explorers are intrigued by the scenery until a loud, recorded voice informs them that the master is out, so to speak.
• Seduced by a voice believed to belong to Omei, Cannan Flyer is lured to Tecpatl's Cradle, escorted by various Carnifex and Duiranite Councilors. Trapped within the Cradle, all but Cannan are informed they are sheep for sacrifice, and as he is invited to play the Moonlight Calliope, Omei attempts to fill his body with Her essence. Cannan, for all intents and purposes, becomes a God for several minutes, killing most of the audience until the Divine energies rip him apart. In the aftermath nothing more is heard from Omei.
• Fascinated by tales of Cannan's temporary godhood, Eiger and Early Sindele man a grave-robbing, outsourcing adventurers all over Sapience under the pretense of an archaeological expedition. Reaching the top of the tower in Tecpatl's Cradle, Eiger Sindele is killed, her body inadvertently integrating with Omei's essence at the point of impact, effectively forming a new vessel for the Goddess.
• Lorenzo returns to the Great Rock, where he single-handedly bests Bearnath in a knife fight and becomes the den's new leader. Adapting the moniker of "Crow Man", an ancient title last used in the Indoron era, he proceeds to reform the beast cultists, uniting them in a fanatic worship of Omei, and enslaving the Beastlord.
• Current era.

The First Guildmasters

Ascendril: Ianus
Atabahi: Anya
Bahkatu: Irruel
Bloodborn: Irawn
Cabalists: Daelar
Carnifex: Akimoto
Daru: Clio
Druids: Esper
Infernals: Templar
Luminaries: Sahmie
Magi: Belgarion
Occultists: Anya
Paladins: Strung
Priests: Thrain
Sciomancers: Mazzion
Sentaari: Elektra
Sentinels: Arafel
Shamans: Aishia
Syssin: Szan
Teradrim: Alaron
Templars: Mirrfa

First of the Consanguine: Abhorash

Kerrithrim: The Great Beast

The Fall of Kelsys

Within the Ayhesa cliffs along the eastern coast, a group of Spellshaper students gossiped in hushed voices. Their master, Saayar, was plotting something.

Irruel du Vallianse was the first to discover Saayar's plan, after much snooping and questioning, and confronted Saayar with his knowledge. A tense conversation took place, as Saayar strongly denied the accusations and Irruel threatened to intercede. Others soon discovered the plot, the most notable being the members of the Magi Guild.

Saayar's plot was of grave concern to the Magi, for it involved the elemental links of the Silver Spire deep beneath the ocean in the Kelki city of Kelsys. His plan was to harness the power of the links, so that he might achieve his goal: Destruction of Spinesreach and its citizens, whom he believed to be hiding knowledge from the world.

The Magi interrogated Ireia, the Spellshaper Enchanter and ex-Magi, who was quick to realize the risk the Magi offered to the plan. She conjured up a lie, deceiving the Magi into thinking Saayar was mentally unstable and was merely a figurehead. She offered up her own plan to the Magi, which involved going along with Saayar's plan long enough for him to be weakened by his own workings and then disposing of him. The Magi were untrusting, and after much debate amongst themselves, they grudgingly accepted.

On the 2nd of Severin, year 276 of the Midnight Age, Saayar was ready. Annica, Cariv, Esylana, Mazzion, Tralendar and Yarel, all of the Magi guild, arrived at Saayar's office disguised amongst the other Spellshapers. There, Saayar unveiled the latest in Spellshaper innovation - a modified portal wand with enchanted golden rings looping it. He went on to explain that the golden rings would allow the portal to be cast from one location to another, without needing a target to focus upon. Moreover, the actual portal created by the wand offered a vast improvement over the normal sonic portals. It would distort time and space to physically connect the two locations, as if they were part of the same place. One could, in theory, create a portal from a city to deep under the ocean, and the water would flow straight through the portal to flood the entire city.

In shock, the Magi looked on as Saayar proceeded to demonstrate the capabilities of the portal wand by connecting his office to the Silver Spire. The portal wand glowed and vibrated violently as it established the connection, burning away to ashes while the golden rings clattered to the ground. The group proceeded gingerly through the portal, following Saayar, Ireia and the other Spellshaper Masters as they set themselves up inside the Spire. The next stage of Saayar's plan involved casting a protective ward around the Spire, protecting it from both damage and intruders while he manipulated the links. This part of the plan was important to the Magi, for Ireia had told them it would significantly drain Saayar of energy when he cast the ward, and that would be time for their betrayal. Spellshaper and Magi alike worked together to channel the elements into a crystal orb constructed to contain the energy. A flash resonated through the Civic Dome of Kelsys as energy exploded outward from the crystal orb. The light cleared, and it became evident to all present that a glowing magical field surrounded the Spire, cutting it off from the rest of Kelsys. An equally intangible glow surrounded each of the Spellshapers.

Smirking, Ireia informed the Magi, "You may attack. Much good may it do you." As the rest of the Magi struggled to comprehend what had just happened, Mazzion angrily ordered an attack upon the Spellshapers as he realized their fears of deceit were well-founded. A desperate battle began, as the Magi unleashed their combined elemental forces towards the Spellshapers. Their attacks landed upon the Spellshapers to no effect, neutralized by the shield surrounding each one. Realizing the futility of the attack, Mazzion ordered a retreat from the Spire.

The Magi regrouped, heading back to Saayar's office in the Ayhesa Cliffs with hope that the portal was still open. To their luck, it was, and as they stepped through the gloating voice of Saayar could be heard, "Magi! Stop me if you will, but this Spire, this Silver Spire - it grants me power beyond what even you did!" Infused with the power of the elemental links, Saayar gathered more and more energy to him as he prepared for his strike upon the city of Spinesreach. With his voice amplified by his new-found power, he shouted "Your doom is at hand, Spinesreach! At last we have won, thanks to the idiocy of the pitiful Magi!" as he began to direct the energy into a powerful attack.

A great influx of energy surged through Saayar as he arrogantly gathered more of the powers of the five links to him. Horror filled the leader of the Spellshapers, for he had made a terrible mistake - he had harnessed more power than a single man could handle. The Silver Spire exploded as uncontrolled elemental energy swept across Kelsys. Domes shattered and the ocean poured in, greedily flooding the city. Raw primal forces ripped apart those closest to the source of the explosion, shredding both Spellshaper and Magi alike into nothingness.

No longer stable, the elemental links collapsed as a giant, swirling vortex of elemental energy rose violently out of the ocean. As the great forces tore about city of Kelsys, a giant tidal wave formed from the explosion. It bore down upon the village of Shastaan; looming over the small fishing village with an indomitable presence before it brutally broke itself upon the shores of the hapless settlement - everything within its path decimated.

However, that was not all that befell Sapience on the fateful day, for deep beneath the ocean near Kelsys, a monstrous creature stirred, awoken from its slumber by the giant explosion...

The Awakening

A giant, swirling vortex of the elements dominated the eastern horizon in wake of the disaster visited upon Kelsys and Shastaan. Raging with raw power, the uncontrollable energies of the vortex served as a reminder that disastrous consequences can await those who lusted for power beyond their mortal reach. Turbulent waters now wrack the eastern coast, their fury fueled by the towering vortex.

Bodies of both Kelki and Shastaani began washing ashore shortly after the carnage, many of them mutilated by the elemental vortex. Two notable corpses amongst the mass of cadavers were that of Saayar and Ireia - the two Spellshapers most responsible for the disaster that had occurred. As more victims washed ashore, one coughed and stirred, rising frantically to his feet with a wild expression. He was the harbinger of an even greater terror to come.

As if compelled by some powerful presence, the deranged man began heralding the arrival of one known as the "Almighty Kerrithrim". As he raved, he suddenly threw back his head to laugh with a terrible madness, before collapsing into the sand; the psychic force exerting itself upon him taking its toll.

An ominous silence descended over the area as the observers considered what they had just witnessed, broken only by the roaring of the elemental vortex. However, their moment of contemplation was soon broken. A towering monstrosity rose out of the ocean amid the vortex, a multitude of glowing red eyes the only colour upon its black, humanoid body. Masses of tentacles hung down from its oversized head, strands of seaweed tangled among them. Raising a mighty foot, the beast began to crash towards the shore.

Many foolish mortals flocked to Shastaan as the creature approached, hoping to better observe the foreign creature. The Almighty Kerrithrim paused, looking down at the mortals from a vast height. Then, its red eyes flared with a volcanic light that swept over the crowd; incinerating all who stood assembled in one deadly strike. Parasitic creatures called Thrim dropped off the monster's great body and started tearing across the area, latching onto mortals and bending them to their will. The two-mile high Kerrithrim swept its gaze across the land, seeking a target for its rampant destruction. As the glittering city of Enorian caught its attention, the Kerrithrim advanced southwards, each powerful stride quaking the land.

As the Almighty Kerrithrim loomed over the city walls, the metallic voice of the God of Valour resonated across the land, "Courage, Enorian! Steel yourselves, and meet this threat with Honour!" The abomination looked up in surprise to see Lord Arion racing across the clouds upon the back of His noble steed, Azaliel. "This... creature is one most unlike any I have seen, and experienced," observed the God, as He drew the Blade of Valour from its scabbard and held it poised above His head. Spurring Azaliel into a charge, the Lord of Battle yelled "I am your challenger, Monster!" and He thundered towards the great beast, which easily dwarfed the God with its colossal size.

The Almighty Kerrithrim shifted its stance to meet the God, raising its arms before its chest and poising its tentacles. As Arion rapidly approached the monster, tentacles lashed towards Him from all directions. The Blade of Valour strikes faster than is fathomable; its flurried strikes a series of blurs as the Lord of Battle fought to get past the enormous appendages. "Now fall, monster!" the Lord exclaimed triumphantly as He struck a brutal blow to the monstrosity's neck, nestled deep within the forest of tentacles.

As Arion emerged from the tangle once more, dripping in green ichor, He brought His valiant steed around to observe the damage done. The monster straightened up, green blood dripping from deep within its tentacles, as it turned its piercing gaze upon the God. Arion paused, tired; His features marked with uncertainty as the creature seemingly disregarded the lethal blow. With humbling realization that the monster He faced was stronger than He had initially thought, the Lord of Valor shouted, "I cannot defeat this foe! It was created to stand against Us!" as He prepared to spur His steed for another charge at the creature. As the God approached, the Almighty Kerrithrim swung a hand furiously at Him, sending both rider and steed flying into the Siroccian mountains.

Already weakened by His fight with the creature, Arion's essence was quickly diminishing by what seemed to be a casual attack by the Kerrithrim. Several of His followers immediately rushed towards the Siroccians to find the God, but could only stare with disbelief as the God of Valor faded from their very sight, leaving only His mangled armour and broken steed. Broken hearted, all they could do was mourn the passing of their Lord as Ravek, Phoenecia and Lycian carried the fallen God's armour, and His brave steed's body back toward Mostyn, the island that Arion called His own.

With the God of Valour now out of its way, the Almighty Kerrithrim turns its attention back to Enorian. As it advanced, the monster suddenly stumbled, instinctively raising a hand to the wound at its neck. Massive droplets of the beast's green blood splashed upon the ground, and it shot a sullen glare towards the Beacon of Light. With a last glance, the monstrosity retreated, leaving a trail of blood behind as it took mighty steps towards the ocean. Reaching the coast, the Almighty Kerrithrim strode into the turbulent waters, gradually sinking out of sight.

At last, Sapience breathed a collective sigh of relief. The threat, for now, had passed.

The Devouring

For two months, an uneasy wariness fell over both the mortals and Divine of Sapience alike, as they waited for the inevitable return of the Almighty Kerrithrim. Deep beneath the ocean, the monster slept as it recovered the minor wound it received from the fallen God, Arion, during their quick battle.

As if to mock the God of Valour, the Almighty Kerrithrim returned one night in the middle of spring - the month of Arios. Emerging from the ocean near Shastaan, the beast's great bulk left only a dazzling corona visible from the bright display of the elemental vortex. Yet again, the Kerrithrim advanced upon Sapience.

With epic strides, the Almighty Kerrithrim crossed the Siroccian mountains easily, coming to a pause before the Tower of Artifice. Its red eyes glared disdainfully at the structure, and with one mighty swat it destroyed the building completely. Barely sparing the Tower a second glance, the monster moved onwards, crossing the Siroccian ranges.

Its destructive path through Sapience continued until it eventually reached the edges of the great Ithmian forests. The Abyssal Horror swept its gaze over the extensive range of canopies, eerily still as it seemed to contemplate the wilderness before it. Red eyes flaring with incomprehensible anger, the Almighty Kerrithrim stomped a foot down in the middle of the Western Ithmia. Trees splintered and exploded as a giant shockwave swept through the area, leaving naught but a massive, gaping black pit of indiscernible depth in its wake.

As the monster paused to observe its destruction, a trail of green ichor dripped down from the under its tentacles, hinting at a still-open wound out of obvious sight. The Almighty Kerrithrim turned away from the burning forest and started striding back towards the ocean near Shastaan to finish recuperating the injury received from the God of Valour, Arion.

Nearing the coast, the great monstrosity was suddenly confronted by a Goddess - Khepri, the Seething Chaos. Currents of chaotic energies flowed erratically about Her form as She hovered before the monster, which towered over the Goddess. Momentarily surprised, the Almighty Kerrithrim was forced into stillness as Khepri raised a hand. Smiling, the Goddess gestured downwards with the hand, commanding "Sit! You are of My domain, Harbinger of Chaos." The creature simply stared at the Seething Chaos in abject confusion, before taking a step towards Her.

Ire marked the Goddess' features as She demanded once more, "SIT! Together as one force of Chaos We shall consume this world!" Her voice faltered slightly, and became trill as the monster loomed over Her. Looking up into the Almighty Kerrithrim's piercing red gaze, Khepri took a small step backwards and attempted to demand once more "SI-" but was cut short as a monstrous hand shot out to grab Her in a powerful grip.

Shrieking with rage, the Goddess yelled, "Unhand Me, and heed My offer, Almighty Kerrithrim! You do not comprehend what I am saying to you, proposing to you!" Her words were ignored as the Almighty Kerrithrim slowly rose its hand towards its maw. Screaming, Khepri attempted to break free of the beast's fist, but Her struggle was futile. The Kerrithrim's great maw opened, saliva splashing far away to the ground, and jagged, triangular teeth were seen to await the Goddess. Then, with utter lack of ceremony, the Goddess was shoved inside the Almighty Kerrithrim's mouth, and with grim, abrupt finality the great maw shut. Lady Khepri screamed no more. Followers of Khepri shouted in rage at the death of their Goddess, but were forced to watch helplessly as the Kerrithrim walked once more into the sea to rest and recover.

Once more, Sapience was spared the full wrath of the Almighty Kerrithrim - but many began to wonder if they would be so lucky the next time beast awakens. As such, many plans were proposed and arguments broke out over what chance any mortal stood against such a Godkiller. Eventually, Corporal Cazin of the Enorian Army proposed what some called "a suicidal plan" - use catapults to launch mortals at the beast and attempt to find a weak point. Cazin called an old engineer friend, Rhulin, out of retirement to assist with building the catapults. Grumbling the entire time, Rhulin worked diligently to construct the catapults as others helped him by supplying the resources needed. Meanwhile, over in Spinesreach, Severn, the Manipulator, was busy formulating His own machinations. He ordered the city to begin recruiting more troops to use against the Kerrithrim when it next arose, to serve as a distraction while He carried out His plan.

Leaders of the five major cities met with each other, discussing tentative alliances for the purpose of turning the Almighty Kerrithrim back. Enorian and Spinesreach were quick to form an alliance, with Ashtan, Duiran and Bloodloch eventually deciding to join. However, as Villi Selannor, the Ard-Dhasani of Spinesreach, calculated the number of their combined armies, she had doubts. They did not have near enough men to stand any sort of chance of distracting the abomination while mortals tried to scale it and Severn executed His scheme.

With the aid of Dhasan Elene Arcan, Villi set off on a diplomatic mission to the various villages and communes of Sapience. Together, the two utilized various methods such as bribery, flattery and the promise of favours to add more to the alliance's forces: fifty Trolls from Hashan, thirty illusionists from the Mit'olk, twenty-five necromantic students from Tasur'ke, thirty bandits from Three Rock, one hundred and fifty orcs and ogres from the Barony of Dun Valley, and seventy of General Xaeon's goblins from Azdun. The idea was not lost on Enorian, as Kylan D'ashil and Edhain de Verdigris also sought the assistance of various places, eventually managing to acquire forty of Gladius' finest Red Knights and twenty-five mages from the settlement of Salma.

The Almighty Kerrithrim continued its slumber. All knew it was only a matter of time until it awakened yet again - but the next time, Sapience was ready.

The Alliance

Silence. Apprehension. All within Sapience held their breaths, as the surface of the ocean rippled beside the now eradicated Shastaan. The Kerrithrim had come once more, as if the very ocean itself had conceived the creature. Slowly, but steadily, the monster rose and rose, as it took heavy steps towards the shoreline. Its form once more dominated its surroundings, as the creature came to its full height to tower over the land.

Panicking, the dwarven engineer, Rhulin immediately yelled for the immediate retrieval of the catapults. Voice tight with panic and hands trembling from anticipation, the engineer quickly began a hurried lesson on the usage of the catapults. Many came, and started to move the catapults toward the Kerrithrim, but it was Severn, the Manipulator who acted first against the Abyssal Horror. As if in waiting, shadows surrounding the Kerrithrim quickly wrapped around the creature as it stepped upon the shore, in attempt to impede its progress. His attack incomplete, shadows began to recede from the entire realm, as the Manipulator began to draw His power together for His next barrage. In response to the quick action of the Manipulator and in attempt to impede the Kerrithrim's seemingly unstoppable path of rampage, the Earthen Lord, Ivoln, tore the Raphaelan highway in two, creating what appeared to be a bottomless pit.

However, it was the cloud of dust from the Earthen Lord's destruction of the highway that obscured and enraged the Kerrithrim, as it came to pass over Shastaan, causing the creature to swat at the dust and debris to no effect. Its effect was only momentary, however, for the soon the Kerrithrim began to stride through it. As the monstrous creature arrived beside the Raphaelan Highway, drops of its blood from the grievous wound struck by the God of Valour marred the landscape beneath, dripping from its tentacles.

In its pause, a roiling mass of thunderclouds quickly converged around the Kerrithrim, bolts of lightning arcing towards like cracked whips, tearing the ground asunder wherever they struck. It was not long before the clouds parted to reveal the sight of a mysterious Goddess, wreathed by wisps of air and water. Calling out towards the creature, the Goddess enthused the Kerrithrim to cease its attacks, for She was its Master. As she descended to her beloved pet, the monstrosity responded in kind, sending a tentacle to caress its master in affection. The contact, however, proved a dangerous mistake; for as the Almighty Kerrithrim touched the Goddess, it immediately began to try crushing the Goddess' arm. Shrieking loudly in pain, the Goddess' form began to waver, and suddenly the ripple of shadows gives way to reveal the form of the Manipulator.

With grim resolution, the God summoned His Blade of Artifice to hack away at His arm to free Himself, before immediately retreating; shadows trailing behind His path. Blade still steady within His remaining arm, the Manipulator tore asunder the very fabric of reality, creating a rift into the Shadow Plane. As He stepped through the Rift, the God turned to give a fateful glance toward the monster and one of the fists of the Abyssal Horror struck at the deity; sending His crumpled form flying through the rift as a stream of pure white essence sped away from it.

In the meantime, those who manned the catapults positioned the bulky equipment beside Delos, ready to strike at the creature. However, as the operators of the catapult began to fire brave combatants haplessly onto the Raphaelan Highway instead of the Kerrithrim, Rhulin was forced to return and give yet another hurried lecture.

As the mortals once more began to aim for the body of the creature, however, the Lady Dreamer began Her attack too. The Goddess Omei materialized in midair, though it wavered uncertainly as She began Her charge in the form of a Rajamalan Huntress. As she neared the abyssal creature, Her appearance shifted and boiled, morphing into various creatures both known and unknown, before striking into the Kerrithrim in a guise not unlike its own. The creature, however, was unfazed by the Goddess' attack, and responded in kind with an angry, yet careless strike. The creature's fist collided with the Dreamer with such force that Her very form dissolved into an immeasurable mass of moths, before descending upon the Ithmia.

Next to respond to the threat of the creature was the God of Death Himself, calling at the Kerrithrim to face its judgment for its crimes. Without hesitation or apprehension, Dhar raised His gloved hands up towards the sky, calling forth a pillar of white flame to singe the giant hulking form of the seemingly indomitable Kerrithrim. The pain such that it could not endure, the Kerrithrim's cry echoed throughout Sapience, resounding almost deafeningly as the monster transformed its pain into rage, and lashed out at the Underking. Though the God is able to avoid the agile attacks of the creature for a moment, a fateful strike at the back of the rapidly tiring God was enough to cause even Him to stagger in agony. Tendrils of essence pouring from the ashen wound, the flames over the Abyssal Horror began to extinguish, having lost its source of power.

Sensing its upper hand over the fallen God, the Kerrithrim immediately raised its gargantuan foot in attempt to crush the Underking, but in a moment of desperation, the God struck at the earth beneath Him, tearing the land asunder with a flash of blinding light. From within the rift, thousands of translucent forms of varying shapes and sizes began to flow out, collecting into a single unified force before closing into the Kerrithrim with blinding speed. Souls from the Underworld, they were able to momentarily stun the Kerrithrim, as the Underking threw Himself through His created rift, sealing it behind Him. The souls dissipated soon after, leaving the Kerrithrim unopposed once more.

Without ado, a tumescent glimmer in the distant horizon preceded the arrival of the Sky God Galleus, clutching the staff of the Triptych Lemniscate. With one powerful movement, the Sky Sovereign hurled His staff at the Kerrithrim, spinning in extreme speed as it neared the giant form of the Kerrithrim. The Kerrithrim did not deem the attack as remotely dangerous, as with indifference, it simply swatted the projectile away, and struck at the God from its great distance away. The lash connected with Galleus' face, it tore out His eye, causing the Sky Sovereign to scream in pain as mercurial blood streamed out from the deep gash. Filled with abject pain and unfamiliar blindness, the God conjured spiraling torrents of wind that churned the earth beneath Him ineffectually. A churning in the deep belly of the Horror gripped the God's now empty gaze only for a moment, causing the God to retreat hastily into the starscape before the Kerrithrim was able to strike once more.

However, more trials awaited the monster as the armies of various villages and towns amassed, to face the Kerrithrim in what seemed to be a suicidal march. From the necromancers of Tasur'ke, to the Nazetu of Bloodloch, and to the bandits of Three Rock, everyone in Sapience united to face the creature, in attempt to stave off its destruction as the brave fighters launched themselves at the Kerrithrim's body. There, they faced hundreds of the mind-controlling Thrim, latching themselves at whoever was closest and turning allies into enemies. The group of attackers persevered, however; managing to drive the Thrim and those controlled by it back, coming to the grievous wound left by the fallen God of Valour. It was there that the attackers reopened the wound, and through that, entered the very body of the foul creature itself, to strike at where it was truly vulnerable - its great heart.

Before long, jade-tinged clouds began to form over the giant Kerrithrim, the form of the Goddess Chakrasul barely visible within its mass. Heavy acidic rain began falling from the jade clouds to descend upon the creature, causing it to shudder and utter a chilling cry that echoed throughout Sapience once more. Before the Kerrithrim could retaliate, however, the Goddess called forth seeds of Corruption from the Nazetu troops of Bloodloch, sending them spiralling downwards towards the Kerrithrim and causing it to stumble further. Angered, the Kerrithrim turned its attention towards the Nazetu. Intervening, the Goddess Iosyne appeared with a flash of light, speaking words of lost tongue that seemed to agitate the Kerrithrim, distracting it from attacking the troops.

Throughout the Pantheon's relentless attacks on the Kerrithrim, however, the attackers within the creature's body cleft and hewed their way first through the creature's esophagus, then into its intestinal tracts. From the gut of the creature, the attackers found themselves fighting hordes upon hordes of the neverending Thrim, before the Blackwind Lieutenant Sryaen was able to cut through a vein to reveal the way to the heart of the great Kerrithrim. As they entered, the attackers were faced with a fierce Thrim resistance, overwhelming most that were there. It was the Dreadlord Missari and the Azudim Warlord Mazzion who were able to battle on, destroying the heart of the Kerrithrim in the process.

The effect was instantaneous - the Almighty Kerrithrim arched backwards in agony, a deafening roar escaping its gaping maw as the creature bent forward and vomited violently. Its green ichorous blood poured out from its mouth as it faltered, carrying with it the attackers within its body and depositing them onto the highway. The gargantuan form of the Kerrithrim began quaking in its pain and agony, sending both Thrim and attackers flying from its body. Toppling over, now weakened, the creature fell backwards into the crevasse that was once the Raphaelan Highway, its persistent roaring continuing as it fell through - and it is never heard to strike bottom.

Sapience breathed a sigh of relief, having finally felled the creature that had so devastated its landscape. However, it is not long before breaths are held once more, as a mottled, battered hand flies up from within the chasm, grabbing hold on the ledge. Deafening snarls echoed upward from the chasm and it was not long before yet another of the Kerrithrim's hands joined its struggle to climb up once more. Red light burst outward from the black recess and the monster levered itself upward, propping its form against the edge of the chasm on its elbows. Green blood streamed from the creature's broken face, many of its eyes put out by the fall.

Was the Kerrithrim truly so unstoppable? Was it truly so invincible? It began to drag itself onto the highway once more, dragging its way inch by laborious inch, before it collapsed onto the highway with a wet, ichor-like wheeze. Giving a final, vengeful glare, however, the Kerrithrim fell beside the chasm, and stirred no more.

At last, the Abyssal Horror was finally defeated, and no longer did it terrorize Sapience. The experience was not without effect, however, for now the mystery of whence the Kerrithrim came from has arisen. The question burned in the minds of many mortals, for whose form did the Manipulator assume, and why did the Goddess claim that the Kerrithrim was Her pet? What was conclusive, however, was that the arrival of the Kerrithrim has revealed to all within Sapience that there is still much to the world that is unknown to mortal mind.

The Dreikathi Invasion

Amal: Guardian of the Ankyreans

In the frigid expanse of the Western Tundra, a group of Indyuk hunters on the trail of a snow faex stumbled into the Ankyrean containment lab. Once inside, they unknowingly triggered an explosive device left behind long ago by the Order, which sent up a beacon seen all across Sapience. A myriad of adventurers fell upon the lab, drawn by the explosion that took place. Atrapoema, Zynti, Alaron, and Xavin, amongst others rushed onto the scene, finding a hidden chamber leading into the bowels of the lab.

Once inside, the collective group came across the bodies of the unfortunate hunters, one barely hanging onto life just long enough to explain their partys folly in causing the explosion. It was in this chamber that the adventurers found a peculiar mechanism, to which Atrapoema promptly activated, resulting in the release of a long contained creature. This massive monstrosity of hashed together body parts surprisingly posed no initial threat to the gathered adventurers, and it even had a name.

The creature, which was quite clearly the result of an amalgamation of various races, called itself Amal and claimed to be a guardian for its masters, the Ankyrean Order. Seemingly childlike in mentality, this Amal asked after the status of its creators, to which the group responded that the Order was indeed, all but extinct, save for one survivor.

Attempting to lead the creature to Delos to see Qeddwyn resulted in Amal running off instead to Spinesreach, where the simple-minded construct hoped to find his makers.

Such was of course, not the case. Once inside the city it quickly became apparent to Amal that Spinesreach was under the occupation of not the Order, but what he considered as Rellyw. His mental faculties being unable to process this sent him into a rage, slaying many of the citys guards, and its citizens. Relentless was his ferocity, the likes of which had never been seen from a mere mortal creature. The onslaught seemed endless before finally Qeddwyn arrived to calm the savage beast. As the last surviving Ankyrean, Qeddwyn was the only one able to order Amal to stand down, which he did, much to the delight of the gathered citizens.

Qeddwyn attempted to soothe Amal, and related how the Order was no more, and that he was all that remained. This was deeply unsettling to the poor creature, yet Qeddwyn seemed to afford it some level of comfort. As Qeddwyn tried to probe the creature for information, it was discerned that Amal had been created for more than just a simple guard, it seemed he had been made to defend against a more specific threat. Yet when asked just what this threat was, all within hearing were struck down by an overbearing force that bent reality around his words.

Clearly not able to gain any more information at this time, Qeddwyn decided it would be best to take Amal away from Spinesreach and back to his shops in Delos. There he could keep him from harming anyone else while attempting to find out more about this mysterious creature, and what his true creation was for.

Polemarch Andolso: The Invaders from the East

On the eastern horizon of Sapience, out across the vast ocean waters there appeared in the sky, a faint glimmer of dark blots. As time went by, a myriad of onlookers gathered on the outskirts of Delos to look eastwards with questions amassed. Just what were these shapes? To say that an air of apprehension was predominate would be an understatement, many of those gathered were long use to being cautious of anything such as this. Their caution would not be unwise, in fact, they had much to be weary of yet they knew not at the time.

As the shapes drew closer, it soon became clear that there were indeed a trio of objects, slowly taking the form of what could only be called airships. For as they drew near they were apparently large hulks that effortlessly flew through the skies above. They seemed to be making straight for Delos, and the apprehension of those gathered merely increased tenfold, for they had no way of knowing if they would be met with friends or foes. When the great ships finally halted above them, their questions in that aspect were answered, and answered firmly.

The largest of the ships, on reaching the sky above Delos, immediately dropped long cables from its deck, to which a flood of alien creatures streamed down into the midst of the onlookers. Caught off guard by the abruptness of the assault, those gathered were quickly overwhelmed and dispatched, the battle quick and fierce. It was then that the airships began to brand apart, the lead ship slowly making its way to west of Sapience, while its two companions began to turn northwards.

As they flew over the Ithmia they split away again, one heading into the Eastern Ithmia, towards the Heartwood while the other crossed into the Dry Plains, angling for the City of Spinesreach. Residents and non-citizens alike rushed to both locations, fearing the worst, and as before they would not be wrong in their fears. It was Spinesreach that was struck first, as the ship headed there settled atop the citys Institute, its hull sprouted openings, to which pulsing orbs of energy poured forth. The bombs, for indeed there was no doubt of this, slammed into various places of the city, detonating with concussive force and wreaking havoc on those within its walls.

As the destruction was visited upon the northern city, so to was it brought to the Heartwood. The third ship positioned itself directly above the Great Oak, and was soon to release its own bombardment. Flaming death and destruction came upon the Great Oak and its surroundings, slaying all within an instant and leaving the area nothing more than a charred ruin of its former self. If the bombing was not enough to drive the point home, the insertion of more of these foreign beings into both the Heartwood and Spinesreach was. Fighting for their lives and their homes, the citizens and allies of both valiantly fought the invaders off.

With the destruction going on below, the two airships turned to the southwest heading to link up with their lead ship on the western fringes of Scidve. There they landed, and quickly began setting up a forward base of operations, to which the denizens of Sapience were quick to stumble upon. When they arrived they found a hastily assembled camp, and an army of invaders waiting to greet them. Hostilities soon flared, and fierce fighting went on for quite some time before finally, the leader of these strange beings made his presence known.

Known only as the Polemarch Andalso this creature spoke only the little known language of Herolian, yet to those who knew some of it, his message was quite clear. Sapience was under the invasion of a massive army from across the sea, their lands and their resources had been claimed for their Autarch. This Andalso left one final warning, surrender and be spared as slaves for the Grand Parade, or be crushed beneath the boots of their indomitable might.

Despite the attempts at attacking their base, it seems quite clear that the force will not be easily overcome, more so with the fact that not long after setting up camp, one of the airships departed back from whence it came, with the promise of more troops to come. The outlook does not bode well, but only time will tell how the events will unfold.

The Incursion into Shadow

Almost a month had passed since the arrival of Polemarch Andalso and his army. Arion, the Truthseeker sat on His throne in Mostyn, brooding, for there was something strangely familiar about the invaders. His other half whispered to Him the Truth, and He struggled to hear it. But as always, the memories of Lanos remained just beyond His reach.

Silently, an airship drifted in from the horizon - the same airship that had been coming back and forth from the Dreikathi homeland since the initial invasion. Arion turned His gaze outward, focusing His attention with hungry curiosity upon the vessel in an attempt to gleam more information. The God frowned. Something was not right. The airship was there and its occupants were clearly visible there, clearly tangible. Yet they were beyond His touch, their existence a complete foreign entity in its metaphysical makeup to Aetolia. Before these invaders, His powers were no greater than the strongest mortal. Arion stirred uncomfortably in His throne, His fingers strumming impatiently upon the armrest. He did not like that thought.

The whispers continued to torment Him, the incessant sound constantly holding promises of revelation. It was enough to drive a lesser being mad. Arion forced Himself to ignore the unintelligible buzzing of His brother - He had long ago given up trying to access those memories. Lanos knew the Truth behind these recent events. Of that fact, the introspective God was certain. Arion sighed heavily with regret, relaxing His posture slightly as He let His thoughts drift aimlessly. If only Lanos had been stronger, if only He saw through Severn's trickery. Sudden realization filled the Truthseeker as His thoughts converged on a single name: Severn. Abruptly, He slammed a metallic fist into the throne and leaped to His feet. Of course, Severn was the key. He had been blind to not realize the fact sooner. Everything pointed to that single being.

Pacing angrily across the throne room, Arion's mood darkened as the pieces began to fall in place. The Kerrithrim shared a similar nature with these invaders. They were beyond the influence of the Gods, carved from an unrecognizable source of essence. Yet contrary to this, Severn displayed a kind of understanding of the beast. He began to dwell on the death of Lanos, the original Lord of Truth. He had known something, this much Arion had concluded from the whispers and half-thoughts, despite being unable to make any more sense of it. Why had Severn behaved so rashly, taking action to kill Him? Arion knew the Artificer best, or so He liked to think. His Brother was not wont to take needless risks.

Even further back did the Truthseeker take His thoughts, to the very beginning of this age. The one selfish action which began it all: The Grand Artifice. An illusion of depth unprecedented in Aetolia, an act which would surely have used almost all of His essence, but for what purpose? To cover up the actions of some foolish mortals and their projects gone awry? To sate Severn's own desperate need for recognition? No. There had always been a goal, an angle, a greater meaning behind His actions. This was no different. Their Father, Varian, was always so proud of His creation, but when Severn changed that creation, when He made it His own, the Celestine's reaction was tantamount to a slap on the wrist. Varian clearly condoned Severn's actions. Dazed, Arion sat tiredly back in His throne, shocked by the implications. His father, the very Lord of Creation, had cause to deceive.

"Father, enough of this!" did Arion rage at the heavens, "Tell Us of these creatures, why are they beyond Our touch?" Yet only an impenetrable silence greeted His questions. "I demand that You answer Me! This isn't fair!" A part of Him still hoped He was wrong, that the wrong conclusion had been reached. Yet as the silence dragged on, His father's guilt sunk even more deeply in the Truthkeeper's mind. The Maelstrom added His own demands for answers, though Arion knew not if He was simply emboldened by His own words, or upset by any conclusions reached Himself regarding the inexplicable nature of the invaders. Sickened, voice tinged with bitterness, Arion responded to the silence with a threat, "You leave Me no choice, Father. I will bring Our Brother back and He will tell us the nature of these creatures."

Arion summoned both His own order and that of Severn to His throne room. His Order was quick to obey and grudgingly the order of Severn cautiously presented themselves as well. Heated words were traded between the two factions, as Arion demanded knowledge of the entrance to the Shadow Plane. The Manipulator's order debated internally on the matter, not fully trusting such a long-time enemy. Desperate to get her Patron back from the plane of Shadows, Villi agreed to cooperate with the God, much to the dispute of her peers. And with that, Arion bade both the servants of the Artificer and the Templarate alike to seek out the gateway.

Villi was quick to contact Mordia, a priestess high in the service of Severn. Upon explanation of the situation, Mordia cautiously shared that while she did not know the location, she knew who did. Argas, a Minotaur captain, was quick to respond to Mordia's summons. He did indeed know the location of the gateway, but became angry and defensive when asked to share the knowledge - it was a secret entrusted by Severn to the Minotaurs and they guarded it jealously. Eventually, Villi and Mordia talked reason into the stubborn bull, who in turn conceded he would discuss the matter with the High Shaman.

As the minotaur made to depart, the thick gauntlet of Arion quickly grasped Him by the throat, as the God appeared. "You will tell Me NOW!" He screamed, eyes flashing violently with impatient rage. Bewildered and shocked, Villi and Mordia voiced their outrage at Arion's actions. As Mordia summoned up the essence of her Lord to strike, the intruding God disdainfully tossed the minotaur towards her and effortlessly blocked the attack. As Argas rose to his feet, the Truthkeeper snarled viciously, contempt dripping from His every word, "If you won't tell Me, I'll just remove the option." A hand struck out to grasp the minotaur's head, wrapping around it completely. After a moment's pause, Arion tossed the minotaur aside once more, stating "I've seen all I need," before vanishing.

Not long passed before a bright gold light cleaved through the sky to strike deep within the Tarea mountain range. Arion glanced around the minotaur village with contempt. The knowledge He had obtained from Argas' mind informed Him the gateway was guarded by the village, long kept hidden by the Artificer. Hurriedly, the minotaurs began to throw themselves in vain at the advancing God. He cut easily through their ranks, pushing the mortals away as He bellowed out a taunt, a slight maniacal edge to His voice, "Your pitiful servants die like the snakes they are, Artificer!" He continued His way through the village, reaching the concealed gateway to the Shadow Plane. A mad gleam entered His eyes as surveyed it, and the God chuckled softly to Himself, "All too easy."

Fires raged through the village in wake of Arion's rampage, thick plumes of black smoke rising up into the sky. The smoke above the mountains began to contort, darkening noticeably like tendrils of ink. The impenetrable shadows gave way to a swirling vortex, a gaping maw in the sky itself, which lead on only to blackness illimitable. Beasts of shadowy darkness charged out of the black chasm in the sky as the Truthseeker ascended towards the portal. Grasping the blades of Truth and Valor, Arion charged toward the gate. The madness in His voice fully evident now, as He shouted one last time, "Aha, ahahaha! I am coming, Artificer!" The shadow beasts lunged toward the Truthseeker, an insane hunger evident in every inch of their being. Arduously, Arion fought the beasts and the darkness itself back into the opening until He stood at the edge of the Shadow realm itself. Without hesitation, He stepped through. Behind Him, the hole on the sky closed, as though it had never been at all.

In wake of all this, many mortals often glance worriedly towards the west where the invading army readies itself for war, silently hoping for Arion to return soon with answers.

Death of a Soldier

Menacingly, the great black shape of the invader airship crept across the sky above Sapience. It flew low, its hull full of fresh troops and supplies to fuel the army that had amassed on the western side of the continent. As before, many eyes were trained upon its path, some studying it, questioning its origins, yet one pair of eyes gazed upon it with a grim determination. One being knew more of it than the rest, he knew that only he could strike a mortal blow to these trespassers.

So it was Amal who stood atop the Great Rock, eyeing the airships flight with a mind clear of fear, questions, and second thoughts. With a great leap, he took to the air, soaring upwards with the aide of his powerful wings. He crossed the distance quickly, pulling himself onto the deck of the ship where he promptly took to dispatching the soldiers present. Their cries echoed across the sky as they fell to their doom, and Amal pushed forward. Showing his unrelenting strength, he managed to stop one of the massive propellers with his bare hands, shattering it like kindling. The other propeller fared much the same way, Amal sent it crashing into the ocean outside Ashtan.

Its means of propulsion destroyed, the airship fell from the sky and crashed down atop the Shooting Star Inn. The inn was consumed in an instant, along with much of the airship as an explosion sent up a massive ball of fire. Yet before the fires could even die down, Amal cried out for the people of Sapience to come to his aide. Atop the Great Rock a vast host from all walks of life, and unlife, answered the call to arms. Amal let them know that he would dive head first into the base, drawing the enemys attention so that the force could attempt to overtake the base. Though perhaps even he misjudged the ferocity of the troops there, as almost all of the force was wiped out in the initial charge. Yet they persevered, and Amal was able to slaughter enough of those outside the walls so that the others could mop up the rest.

Amal's actions were enough to provoke a response from the apparent leader of the invasion forces. From atop the back of a great wyrm, rode the Polemarch Andalso, a Dreikathi as he would later be labeled. Immediately after making his presence known, Amal went onto the offensive against Andalso, raining down blows from all angles. Yet despite the fury of his onslaught, the Dreikathi seemed unphased and easily thwarted the assault.

Both Amal and Andalso took to the skies above Scidve, fighting atop the back of the massive wyrm as it circled above the onlookers in the camp below. Amals attacks were unrelenting, yet it seemed that no matter how hard he struck at the Dreikathi, he could gain no upper hand. With but minimal effort, Andalso locked with Amal, and with an almost bored motion, broke the soldier's neck with but a twitch of his wrist. A great cry of anguish rose up from those watching, as the lifeless body of Amal fell from the sky to crash into the forest of Scidve.

With Amal dead, the Dreikathi unleashed more of his horde upon those present, pushing them from the camp. To the defenders of Sapience the Polemarch gave one final statement:

"In two months time, the army marches."

Of the Divine, only the Maelstrom reached out to the gathered mortals, bidding them to be vigilant and await the return of His Brother Arion, with the Artificer hopefully in tow.

Only time will tell if the Truthseeker will return with His wayward Brother, and perhaps the desperately sought for knowledge of the origins of these invaders.

The Discovery of Delve

During the Dreikathi Invasion, the city of Delve was discovered on another continent, accessible through a portal in the Siroccian Mountains.