16.4 The Third Age - The Age of Desperation

------------------------------------------
THE DEMON INCURSIONS - Year 1 AD - 1493 AA
------------------------------------------

The red moon Sukhder laid low along the land for many weeks, rivers ran dry, crops failed to grow and livestock perished from disease. Panic spread amongthe cities and into the countryside.

With no warning, a swarm of hideous demons flooded down from the Northreach mountain range, leaving a wake of destruction and death in its path. They seemed to have no motive, nor reason, aside from a simple desire to cause rampant destruction.

The northernmost city of Kinsarmar was hit first, its high walls and defenses well prepared from dealing with the constant skirmishes with the eastern orcs. The forces of death did not stop there; they continued to sweep southward toward the city of Antioch, completely ignoring the city of Stavenn.

For a full year the onslaught continued. Antioch was devastated. The scorching desert climate seemed to fuel the demon hordes. Under the leadership of Argentinus Damaun, a legion of elite Templar knights bravely fought to defend their beleaguered city.

Saboteurs within the city of Stavenn discovered an underground offshoot of the Noctusari, known as the Malignists, had performed a harrowing rite, drawing Sukhder closer in its orbit. Controlling the waves of dark magick as they passed across the planet, they manipulated the northern demons, forcing them to assault the foreign cities. With this knowledge, Saboteur assassins infiltrated the Malignist guildhall and slaughtered the evil priests.

Free from the pull of the rite, Sukhder returned to its position amidst the stars. The demon armies, no longer controlled by the Malignists, became confused and disorganized in their attacks; the armies of Antioch and Kinsarmar, mounting a combined offensive, were able to lay waste to the abominations.

Unable to launch an assault against Stavenn, the opposing cities refused to offer trade and imposed harsh penalties to those caught outside its borders. The city of Antioch went as far as to outlaw the use of magick within its lands, calling for the death of anyone caught practicing, no matter its use. The city refused to have relations with Kinsarmar as well, for harboring those who did so within its walls.


-------------------------------
THE NORTHERN RIFT - Year 100 AD
-------------------------------

Explorers discovered a planar rift to the far north. It seemed the demons of the land originated from this rift. It is discovered that the rift, so small it allowed only a small number of demons travel, grew in size as the moon Sukhder drew nearer. This growth allowed a larger number of demons to enter the realm. In response, Kinsarmar formed regular patrols to police the northern lands.


--------------------------------
CONFLICT CONTINUES - Year 200 AD
--------------------------------

War and conflict were sporadic through the following years.


--------------------------------
THE SPRING OF LIFE - Year 300 AD
--------------------------------

Aryana, the Moon of Life, lay low along the land. In time a spring of the purest water was discovered in the ancient ruins of Caanae. It was later revealed that the water could return the life force to those who had recently been slain.


-----------------------------
HIGH PROSPERITY - Year 400 AD
-----------------------------

Despite smaller conflicts between cities and with the eastern orcs, peace and prosperity allowed for growth within all aspects of society.

-----------------------------
THE LOST TEMPLE - Year 675 AD
-----------------------------

Tomas, a wandering self-professed architect and historian began a search for a lost temple - built in the very first age - rumoured to hold the mighty Hammer of the Gods, a weapon so powerful it could wipe the Horde from the land. Adventurers of Kinsarmar located the entrance of the temple in Shaahri desert, but the passage ways were filled with sand and impossible to pass. Helped by a team of dwarven miners, excavations began to to unearth the buried temple in order to gain passage and control over the mighty weapon.

As rumours of the activity began to spread across the world, many cities and councils had varied opinions on such a mighty weapon being released upon the world. As the dwarves began their dig, undead horde creatures clawed their way out of the ground to assault the dwarves and those gathered. The ancient temple itself became a battle ground for the undead, the excavators and those opposed.

Strange affects were felt by those inside the temple while excavating. Ferriter was the first to notice his body was fading in and out. He was slowly becoming a shade of his former self. Within less then a day he had fully become a wraith. A quiet panic broke out among those in the temple as the condition spread amongst them. Yanosyno, a grizzled mountain priest, was able to assist in curing them from the wraith disease. He informed them if they could find a wraith type creature he could fashion a bone or spear from their bones. Shou and Merryll located several wraithwood trees in the Khandava forest. Yanosyno was able to sharpen their branches and impale Ferriter. This effectively pinned his body to the physical realm, pulling him back from wraithhood and curing him. For the next several months, Yanosyno was visited by many seeking this cure.

SEE ALSO: Events post #168 and #169

------------------------------------
THE DEATH OF MATHARDAN - Year 675 AD
------------------------------------

Delegates from each of the city-states of Aetherius gathered to discuss the Hammer of the Gods with a neutral council of respected elders. Mathardan, Cerise, Yanosyno joined Tomas and the convened citizens to oversee the contentious debate. Many objected to the possibility of wiping out a civilization, with a deep divide between those striving to dig for the weapon and those hoping to seal it away forever.

Principal among the dissenting cries was the uselessness of the Horde. Many questioned the existence of a fabled Horde empire to the far east, and most asserted their ability to fight off any assault with ease. Unbeknownst to those gathered, the Horde were quite involved in the meeting themselves: a strike force of ogres, orcs and goblins swept in to dispatch the conference, also claiming the lives of Mathardan and Tomas. While the explorer quickly returned to life, the Librarian's soul was mysteriously absent. Quick-thinking Shou traveled to Dis to search for him and found him, dead and quite befuddled. No amount of pleading could persuade Charon to let the Loresage pass -- his friends, his companion Tomas, and his students are left to mourn in the shattered city of Caanae.