of which no one has heard and most believe them to be myth.
The 5th of Rendur, 503 D.E.
It is a time of change.
In the West, the one-time unifying force of the �tonist Church has given way to division, the so-called Eastern or Non-Dorrenic �tonism, which affects the political landscape of the continent. No longer do the forces of Aetonism march united to smite their enemies. Rather, petty rivalries over insignificant religious dogma now splinter the relations of once strong allies, leaving the entire continent ripe for invasion from barbarians. . . and worse.
In the Far East, at the same time that the West falls into chaos, the four great nations of the Sonsian Continent have unified under the colorfully descriptive name of "The Supreme Empire of the Golden Sun and the Silver Moon." Each of the four states contributes its most powerful resources (warriors, religion and philosophy, bureaucracy, and agriculture) to create a unified whole that may very well be the most stable government in the world.
In the land of Verundhi, it is said that a vast darkness enshrouds the land. I personally have never visited this land, although tales of its riches, both monetary and magical, are certainly too fanciful to be true. However, even if the stories were true, it may not matter. It would seem that the excesses of the kingdom have angered Our Blessed Lord �ton, for no one has been known to enter or leave Verundhi within the past 15 cycles of the Nightorb.
Exploration is on the rise, as kingdoms seek to enlarge their borders. New technology has been developed to aid in these explorations, most notably the cursed "gonne-powder" which, thank Dorren, is extremely difficult to create. The most famous "explorers" (to use the term loosely) of the age are the Conquistadores of Esor�a. These butchers are formers members of the Order of Poor Soldiers of the Grand Basilica of Dorren (more commonly known as the Knights Basilicar) who grew weary of what they perceived of the mundane duties of modern knighthood. They have taken to conquering other lands in the name of Esor�a, without the approval of their Grand Master. Thankfully, they are constantly being checked by the remnants of the Knights Basilicar.
The increasing explorations of our age have also lead to increased contact between the races, with the unfortunate side-effect of increased xenophobia and bitterness. In the West, at least, Humans have become the dominant race, and tend to act as if the other races were subject to them. They use names from their mythology to refer to the other races, such as "dwarves", "elves", and "goblins." This infuriates the other races, particularly the proud Shagir ("dwarves"). The races are for the most part intermingled and have an uneasy truce with each other, except in the lands controlled by the �tonist Illumination, where the Shagir and Kobali ("orcs") are hunted with impunity for their unwillingness to convert to the worship of Our Lord.
The most drastic and horrific change, however, is the loss of future-sight. Beginning over 40 years ago, sages and soothsayers alike began to complain of no longer being able to foresee the future. No one knows how long the sages tried to cover up their loss before finally admitting it. My own visions completely stopped over a twelve-month ago. I fear that it is the precursor of something deadly and evil on the horizon. The loss of my special sight is horrifying, for now I can no longer prepare for the future. Where once all was laid-out clearly before me, now I see only a gray road leading toward a fog of nothingness.
I had felt that the loss of my gift was the signal of my death, but �ton (nor, for that matter, any other gods, which it embarrasses me to say that I believe may now exist) has not called me to my final rest. I
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therefore live still, praying for the return of my visions, and fearing that they will not come. My days are consumed with the writing of these Chronicles, hoping them to be of aid some day to future generations, if there are any.
Know then, Dear Reader, that it is the year Three and Five Hundred of the Dorrenic Era, and I am afraid.
