The Cataclysm
The knowledge surrounding The Cataclysm and the cataclysmic aftermath it ushered into existence has gradually dissipated like whispers on the wind. What endures, amidst the shadowy veil of time, is a stark truth—a truth that prior to this dire day, the Riftspawn were absent within the realm of Aetheria. The parchments that have withstood the relentless march of time recount an unremarkable era, until the very fabric of existence was rent asunder by rifts that tore open across the realm, disgorging monsters and creatures of forms previously unknown to the Aetherians.
In much the same fashion, the chronicles documenting how the nations of that bygone era resisted the relentless tide of the Riftspawn invasion have been reduced to fragments, mere whispers of the past. The abrupt and unpredictable emergence of these rifts caught most nations in a state of unpreparedness, affording them scant time or opportunity to mount a coordinated defense. The annals of scholarly inquiry tentatively estimate that nearly 40% of Aetherians met their demise within the first harrowing hour of the rifts' emergence. By the time the sun painted the horizon with the hues of a new day, an astonishing 80% of the population had fallen, leaving behind a world forever changed. Though the precision of these assessments remains elusive, the remnants of ancient ruins stand as silent witnesses to the grim tableau of that distant and mournful past.
Now, a millennium has passed since that fateful day. Though stories of The Cataclysm endure, they have gradually evolved into little more than legends whispered around campfires and in taverns—an integral part of the cultural tapestry, yet increasingly regarded as myths. It is only within the hallowed halls of academic discourse that one encounters those who still harbor an unwavering belief—a belief that transcends the boundaries of myth and mythos, serving as a somber reminder that prevents overzealous adventurers from venturing into the dreaded Umbral Realm, where the Riftspawn are forever imprisoned, their malevolence eternally bound.
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