The Age of Desperation
THE DEMON INCURSIONS
Year 1 AD
The red moon Sukhder lies low along the land for many weeks, rivers run dry, crops fail to grow and livestock perishes from disease. Panic spreads among the cities and into the countryside.
With no warning, a swarm of hideous demons floods down from the Northreach mountain range, leaving a wake of destruction and death in its path. They seem to have no motive, nor reason, aside from a simple desire to cause rampant destruction.
The northernmost city of Kinsarmar is 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 discover an underground offshoot of the Noctusari, known as the Malignists, have performed a harrowing rite, drawing Sukhder closer in its orbit. Controlling the waves of dark magick as they pass across the planet, they control the northern demons, forcing them to assault the foreign cities. With this knowledge, Saboteur assassins infiltrate the Malignist guildhall and slaughter the evil priests.
Free from the pull of the rite, Sukhder returns to its position amidst the stars. The demon armies, no longer controlled by the Malignists, become confused and disorganized in their attacks; the armies of Antioch and Kinsarmar, mounting a combined offensive, are able to lay waste to the abominations.
Unable to launch an assault against Stavenn, the opposing cities refuse to offer trade and impose harsh penalties to those caught outside its borders. The city of Antioch goes 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 refuses to have relations with Kinsarmar as well, for harboring those who do so within its walls.
THE NORTHERN RIFT
Year 100 AD
Explorers discover a planar rift to the far north. It seems the demons of the land originate from this rift. It is discovered that the rift, so small it allows only a small number of demons travel, grows in size as the moon Sukhder goes closer. This growth allows a larger number of demons to enter the realm. Kinsarmar forms regular patrols to police the northern lands.
CONFLICT CONTINUES
Year 200 AD
War and conflict are sporadic through the following years.
THE SPRING OF LIFE
Year 300 AD
Aryana, the Moon of Life made its descent over Aetherius and spread its rays of good fortune across the realm. The underground tides grew and rose and the life-giving rays penetrated into the depths of the earth. As the ebb and flow of the subterranean waters grew, they placed a great strain upon their rock and soil prison until at last, the ground began to tremble and shake, finally splitting the ruins of Caanae further apart. Within the month of Ferinus, a geyser spewed forth from one of the crevices, bringing forth the purest water blessed by the Moon of Life. People journeyed from cities far and wide to behold this pure spring.
It happened one month, almost a year to the day that the spring was birthed, that a woman by the name of Amira Faris lost her son, Aden, in the crossfire of one of the many skirmishes between factions fight brutally for power over such small patches of land. Barely able to contain her grief, the woman numbly brought her young child to the spring, thinking only to bathe him before burial. She waded into the clean waters, marveling at the spring's absolute crystalline appearance and partially submerged her child.
As Amira gently cleansed Aden, she was startled to notice that his eyelids began to flutter briefly before they opened wide like a doe to stare up at her. The child that had died only scant moments before was stirring! With tears of disbelief streaming down her face, Amira hugged Aden to her, giving praise to Cassiopeia, for it was legend that this was the very spring that she had willed into existence, leaving behind her life-saving essence within it.
So it came to be that the spring was known as the Fountain of Miracles. People now traveled to the spring not only to marvel at it's beauty, but now with hopes of returning the life to a loved one or a friend, or for the more benevolent creatures, perhaps even returning the life to a perfect stranger. However, its mystical and awesome powers did not end with the gift of life to mortals.
The story of the Fountain of Miracles continues with a legend that finds its origins with a poor Dwarf known as Jace Medea. He'd lost his family almost two years ago, and since had taken up a life of wandering. His own race, the dwarves scorned him, seeing as he was nomadic and no other race accepted him as a dwarf. He made his way towards the spring, hoping only to toss himself in and there end his miserable existence.
As he threw himself in the crystalline waters, he was swept down and over a waterfall, and was half-disappointed to find himself alive and well afterwards. He sat there at the base of the Fountain of Miracles, and looked around to realize that the area was framed with fallen pillars that may have once been carved of a fine quality. His dwarven curiousity got the better of him and he decided to investigate only to discover from the carvings upon the rumble that this tremendous area was a temple to Avasyu, the Creator within the grand walls of Caanae. The piles of stone and pillars had sealed off the waters that cascaded down the cliff from draining into the soft earth, thus forming a calm, crystalline pool of water under the waterfall as it tumbled over the pillars and stone.
At first, Jace was hesitant to sully the clean water with his self-proclaimed detestable dwarvish body, but he found he could not resist as if a sweet voice far beyond mortal comprehension beckoned him to lay to rest in the cool waters. A deep feeling of relaxation settled over Jace as he slipped into the pool, but when his eyes opened once more, he was shocked to discover that his figure was undergoing a quick, and surprisingly painless transformation. His small dwarven body was elongating, becoming more slender and the thick creases of his skin changed to be smooth and delicate. With the blessings of the Divine or perhaps Aryana itself, Jace was reincarnated into a human.
The legends of the Fountain of Miracles lent the sparkling waters a mysterious, divine quality that enticed all who listened intently, however, it was the miracles of life and transformation that had made the Fountain of Miracles a sacred spot to all that dwell in the lands of Aetherius straight into modern times.
HIGH PROSPERITY
Year 400 AD
Despite smaller conflicts between cities and with the eastern orcs, peace and prosperity allows for growth within all aspects of society.