Difference between revisions of "Timeline: 300 AF to 399 AF"

The island beneath which Sartan lies imprisoned becomes the scene of mysterious and disturbing manifestations. Chief among these phenomena is a stalagmite, located inside the island's mountain. Sartan's followers begin, like lemmings, to repeatedly impale themselves upon the object, their purpose unknown until some few reveal that they have been told that thus may they purchase the release of the Evil One from His bonds, with their blood and life essence. Others, through divine trickery, are told that impaling themselves upon the thing is a way of ensuring His continued imprisonment. Those who do not believe the lie, led by the Church and Oakstone work to prevent the continuous serial impalements, but their efforts are largely fruitless. Soon a miasmic, roiling, blood red fog begins to spread about the island, consuming vegetative life. Eventually the fog, growing in power and evincing an eerie quasi intelligence begins to spread to the continent, belching forth foul demons who terrify the populace of Sapience. Gaia, the Earthmother, becomes alarmed and, seeking to stem the horrific tide, causes an earthquake with which She hopes to sink the island, apparent source of the evil haze. Alas, the fog only spreads with renewed vigour. Adding insult to injury, the event seems to crush the bonds of Sartan, allowing Him release from His prison, whereupon he sets forth forming a new body from the now plentiful supply of

demonic fog. His new body is a horror to behold, mutilated, scarred, as though the evil once held deep within His heart, was now worn upon His face and form. Rejoicing in His newfound fortune, Sartan proclaims Himself Sartan the Malevolent. He takes control of the island that was once His jailer, imbuing its very stones with His essence. In an act that promises dire fortune at some point in the future, the Malevolent One calls His faithful unto him, brings into manifestation a monstrous edifice called the Baelgrim Fortress, and endows an organization calling itself the Maldaathi Knights upon the former, humiliated Infernals. Kaelin is appointed as leader of this new guild. With most of Achaea now at peace for the nonce, discussion and debate on the natures of so-called Good and Evil once again dominate the public news boards ad nauseam. Lately, debaters on the subject of the true nature of Chaos, oxymoronic as such a subject must perforce be, have also entered the fray. Achaea abides.

Gack arrives in Mhaldor, offering to set up a slaving business, to which Mhaldor promptly and happily agreed. The fortress of Moghedu was raided, and it's citizens captured to sell into slavery, and the deal was profitable, up until Mhun scouts began to invade Mhaldor's isle to look for their missing brethren. The Mhaldorian reprisal was swift, laying waste to the forces and launching on Mhoghedu, while the Mhunna had plans of his own, digging tunnels under Mhaldor to enter the city and take their own revenge.

The star Noxtra falls out of favour, as Lunastra rises into prominence. To mark this event, Twilight pulls back the darkness that had shielded the three stars of the ancient cult from mortal eyes. In respect of the cult, Seneschal Calla of Hashan ruled that the city would follow the traditions of the cult, changing it's ceremonial title of patron from the triad of Divine that ruled it to match whichever star was in prominence at the time.  

Xerimor had plans concocted during his imprisonment, however, and immediately used the altar with it's now trapped angel to summon forth Morimbuull and create a mighty pathway to usher in hordes of daemons to do his bidding. Valeo was not indisposed, however, and forgotten during this rituals he regained his senses. And giving his all to heal his fallen partner, was able to revive the angel at the cost of his own life. The angel then took Valeo and attempted to flee through the only exit--Through the portal. The act of entering while Morimbuull was still leaving the portal caused a backlash of energy, sealing the portal and the two parties on either side.

Screams split the night air, as Urania, the spirit of Darkenwood, cried out in terror and pain. Dark demons called qlippah were devouring the forest, and attempting to devour her as well. Both Forestals and the Darkwalkers rushed to aid, and through forming a ritual with the advice of Kalleah, the spirit of Hazel, they attempted to call forth the dark being that had sent these lesser demons, to banish it once and for all. The ritual took an unexpected turn, as they summoned the creature, but were no match for it's power. It devoured those leading the ritual, and laid waste to the assembly. Urania was nowhere to be found by this point. Through sheer force of effort and cooperation, and many deaths, the ritual was performed and the beast locked away, but those assembled grieved the loss of Urania to achieve it. Putting together a second ritual, they attempted to pour forth their love and energy for the fallen spirit. The circle became disrupted, but Malkyr, the Oracle of Demeter, pushed on and sent the energy regardless. Green light and darkfire danced across the sky as a rift opened, and Urania stepped out, looking healthier than ever. The place the rite took place in, would be forever changed.

Eris with the help of Feliss, Miriyan, Khalid, Estach, Shakti, Aneila, Karyn, and others began an experiment with the Living Spire. As the spire was completed, a bolt of power shot up toward the heavens, and Eris approached the vortex this created, her own power growing. The force imploded, however, knocking Eris from the sky as chaos spread across the land, and when this chaotic energy touched the Darkenwood, none other than Slith was revealed. Enraged, Eris threatened to burn the Darkenwood down if it meant retribution on the man that had stolen her son, but Demeter pacified her enough to allow the gathered mortals to handle the situation, lest things get out of control. Chasing Slith all over the Darkenwood, eventually defeating the Prince. With his dying breaths, he revealed he had been working for Sartan all along. After stealing the young god, he let Sartan split his being in two, one leading Aegis off beyond the realms while the other hid beneath the Darkenwood and siphoned it's essence.

Soon after, Demeter had a vision of clarity, and knew the other half of the amulet to still be within Cyrene. She came to the city, and demanded, angrily, that it's citizens allow her to look for it, while green lightning arced across the skies. None spoke against her, and pooling the lightning, she slammed it into the bridge she stood on, destroying it and frantically digging through the earth for the amulet. Finding it, she restored the damage as a token of thanks, before hastening to the Darkenwood. Both halves of the amulet whole again, Twilight gave his half to Demeter after they used it's combined power to return the arachnoi queen to normal, freeing her of the bonds of undeath. With the forest's decay stopped, it would take much to heal it. But at least it would have the chance to heal.

Finally, using both halves of the amulet, Maklyr initiated a ritual involving those of many faiths, using the combined energy and power of those present to combine Urasia with Propasia, healing Darkenwood of it's evil taint. The forest now stands as a haven for both Nature and Darkness, as well as a reminder that no matter how grim the situation, mortal faith and Divine working can overcome it.

Pandora attempted to quell the chaos of the spire, but unable to control it, it repelled her as well and the young goddess retreated to the Eileithyian Tree, crawling into it's branches next to her sleeping brother. Twilight appeared across the heavens with the Soulgem of Gladius, shouting his intentions of rewarding him. Throwing the soulgem at Twilight's own obelisk, the two merged, and the Obelisk rebuffed Twilight until he faded into Oblivion--an act the rest of the buildings of Hashan echoed support for.

Dawn and Gladius were discovered on the rocks out of Shastaan, attempting to use the Eye of Proteus, despite the dangers such would pose to mortals. Ignoring the warnings of the Divine, they tried their hardest, but the artefact failed, becoming inert as the chaotic taint roamed unchecked. It gathered together into a single cloud that struck out at each city in turn, but the artefacts created from the Eye for each city rose up in response, summoning guardians to combat the taint and protect the cities. Cyrene, however, had a special surprise as the font tore open the gateway that had kept it's beloved dragon, Blu, from returning home fully grown to combat the taint. One by one, the cities fought the taint off, though it only grew stronger each time. When it seemed as all hope may be lost, Dawn proved to be alive, and both calling and binding her spirit to that of the Phoenix she launched a counterattack on the taint, driving it deep underground and cleansing the realm of it's remainder...With the last of her strength, she returned Eris to normal, and resigned herself to perish, spent beyond measure.

In response, Mhaldor declares Moghedu under it's control, sparking outrage and a prolonged war as others in the realm rushed to Moghedu's aid. Mhaldor and the Mhun fought back and forth, at times victory seeming certain for either side, though after much bloodshed and death Mhaldor was eventually repelled and all entrances to Moghedu were sealed to keep the Mhaldorians out.

Moghedu attempts to move it's non-combatants to somewhere safe, enlisting the help of the alliance that aided them prior to defend Moghedu in their stead. Mhaldor captures a Mhun scout and in torturing him, discover the tunnels leading to Moghedu dug underneath their own city. Shortly after, Mhaldor launches an attack into Moghedu, and proceeds to tackle the defenders while raiding for treasure. However, when the Moghedu army returns from moving their citizens, they make quick work of clearing out the attackers and any stragglers, reclaiming the safety of Moghedu. After collapsing the tunnel Mhaldor used and compensating the defenders, Moghedu opened back up to the public--Though Mhaldorians were to be attacked on sight.

For the past two years, criminal activity in Sapience had spiked. Every city was feeling it's effects from regional criminals, and while Eleusis turned to violence, Cyrene and Ashtan turned to cunning to shut down their criminal operations and glean information. Shallam and Hashan, however, had been funding the criminals willingly, and none of the cities save Ashtan seemed willing to share what they knew. When the dust settled, the mastermind Felisse took to public pronouncements, sarcastically thanking the cities for helping her acquire all the gold she needed for some further plan, and criminal activity promptly lessened across the land.

Eleusis was greeted by Tiglia of Moghedu, who had been out sightseeing around Sapience. When questioned where she would go next, she remarked that Bagwar's Copse sounded interesting. When told that area of the forest had long been overgrown, Tiglia responded that a shipment of iron had been sent from Moghedu recently, and the returning mhun had told of how peaceful the village was. Intrigued, those gathered left with Tiglia to where the area of the forest was to be, finding the path cleared and the peaceful village of Bogwar's Copse thriving in it's place.

A portal appears in the Dardanic Grasslands, Zenui the first to discover it and experiment with it's effects. By the time others arrived, the portal shifted slightly, no longer allowing him access, but instead pairs of robed figures began to emerge in pairs. One was slain by Rocktamer, though the fallen figure's partner quickly absconded back through the portal and out of reach before anything could be done. Further reading may be found in the [[Vertani War]].

A small goblin made it's way from the Northern Ithmia into Hashan, collapsing almost as quickly as he came. He cried for food and help, which Korben gave in the form of mutton and ale. Thanking his saviour, the goblin then proceeded to empty out the black contents of his stomach, and tell his tale. On a spiritual journey from his village in the Dakhota Hills, he traveled into the Eastern Ithmia when hunger set in. Finding ripe, black berries, the goblin dug in, only to find himself in paroxysms of pain and intense nausea. Korben traveled to the village to seek help for the goblin, while Bambi stayed to comfort the weary soul, and returning with a potion from the shaman of that village, the goblin was quickly nursed back to health as the poison was counteracted. The citizens offered to let the goblin stay for a while, but Grunik declined, and returned to his village post-haste.