Age of Dichotomy
During the Second Age, the Valar divided against one another. A third of them began to rebel against Veritamos, and in the midst of this time, war between these sub-deific beings ensued. The war split the lands from one another, creating separate land masses formed by war. Mortals were divided against each other, their allegiances dichotomized. During this age, powerful artifacts were formed to wage war against profoundly impactful beings on both sides, most of which were lost to history. The age ended with the rebellious Valar being banished to another realm. The Valar who remained faithful to Veritamos withdrew their immediate presence from the world, and they now watch over Alethemia from a distance. They still answer the petitions of their followers, but they have distanced themselves after seeing how their power wrecked the world.
The Age of Dichotomy spanned 4250 years in length, ending with the Verbannen Crisis.
Backdrop:
Historical Overview
In Brief
The Faithless (known as the Unbound by those who follow them), rose up in secret against The Valar, deforming the world around them. In the process, the Valar rose up and confronted the Faithless' activity. The confrontation alone split apart the world. From that moment on, the two mighty powers were limited by an unspoken accord that they could not win control over the world by frontal assault. Thus, the Faithless warped and tarnished the creations of the world into their own distorted species so that they would cause war with the Valar's precious created beings.Significant Events
Battle of Thalmoris Gap
Occured far south in Thalmoris Gap in the year 4243, AoD.Backdrop:
The year is 4243, Age of Dichotomy. The age-long war against the Faithless continues still. Centuries may have passed without major conflict, yet the threat lingers still. Then for decades as a time, war ensued between cosmic powers using creations as pawns in their plans. History tells us that the war in millennia past has sundered the seas, broken the world. Yet still, there is no end to this pain. The Valar, honor-bound to Veritamos, have held back their direct involvement, knowing that such displays of explicit and direct power would truly sunder the world apart. In their grace, but also in their need for capable warriors, they have gifted creatures with powers and abilities. Thus, war-priests (clerics) and holy knights (paladins) began to further the cause and assist mightily in war and battle with their patrons giving them aid. Further, primal magics began to appear and grow more notable. Druids and Rangers, specialists of nature, began to discover abilities and powers long hidden within the thread of creation itself, and with the blessing of the Valar, they used their skills in battle.Now we find ourselves at the brink of the next wave of war. Tens of thousands of vile corruptions, machinations of evil led by Glaith Hardor, Lord of Thormis and champion of Hardianthor, Lord of Gnolls and Beast of Butchery. Hardor leads the armies of Hardianthor towards the gap of Thalmoris. An army consisting of Gnolls, Flinds, Goblins, fiends and vile creatures of various kinds, bent on malice and ending the purveyors of good and servants of the Valar once and for all. The battle raged fiercely, and among the heroes of that battle, four great and mighty warriors stand out from that battle. Leelan Verist, the Devoted Cleric, who wielded his Wrath of Verist with intensity, fire in his eyes and brought power to the battlefield. Tryp Breacharm, the seclusive human-giant who wielded a halberd like an extension of his larger form. Tkalec, a monk who left nothing behind with his strong fists and quiet nature. And Kodan, the leaping halfling, who could jump a span 11 times his height in a single bound. These heroes took to the battlefield, destroyed several commanders, slew Falthis, the Corruptor, and defeated Glaith Hardor in battle. Thus, the tide of this war was turned from the outset, with Glaith returning back to Thormis to prepare his revenge.
The Verbannen
The Verbannen incident closed out the Age of Dichotomy, as the Valar and the Faithless were both "banished" to created planes of existence that were either a punishment (the hells and the abyss) or a necessary departure from the material plane. A great ritual created throughout the 4 thousand years by the Valar in secret was able to be enacted through the sacrifice of Leelan Verist. In that moment, as Verist breathed his last in the temple of Gnonmarr, the divine beings of the world were banished to planes designed for their alignment. To the Celestial Planes or down into the Abyss. Since then, their power has been consolidated and the Faithless have worked in secret, every now and then being able to enter the Material plane but their power in that plane is diminished. Legend Lore Regarding the Location of the Verbannen:One gate was made for the Valar below
To seal up the faithful so the faithless may go
But now the Divine Gate is placed in the air
And the door to the abyss is sealed back down there. A guardian dragon was set to guard the above
Deep under the mountain a seal for those without love.
Praise to Verist for bringing this scheme to an end
For what would this world be now, without the Verbannen?
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