death of a living god

Life, Death

Dythist forces march down from the luxus mountains and use the swampland to trap the Orolis religious head, the Orrai, and massacre the Holy Order of Martyrs.

• Dythist forces march down from the Luxus mountains to reinforce northern Vironia, asserting power in the swamplands south of the mountain range and east of the Gaxel river.
  • Dythist forces had a distinctive red veil on their helmets. Crimson silk thin enough to see through, the veils protected the Dythists from the Orrai’s influence.
  • The holy order of martyrs suffers its first loss at the hands of Dythists over the city of Acrinaleus.
  • The battle of Acrinaleus hinged on a misdirection that led the HOM into believing that Dythist forces would come from the northwest, but a fog from the southeast crept over the river, and under the cover of the fog, the Dythists quickly took the city. So dense that one could not have seen more than ten paces, the fog created chaos and gave the Dythists a decisive advantage. One in four martyrs were lost retreating along the western fork of the Gaxel river. The Orrai retreats to Orhelune but orders the martyrs to hold the gains made in vironia. The chapel city of Advennia is built and a cherry blossom is planted for each martyr lost.

• AC 58: A gildamoir army arrives in vironia, and musters in Zedwelle, southeast of Vilmihlos
• This spurs a reaction from the Holy Order of Martyrs to reinforce Vilmihlos, the Acrinaleus river forming the frontlines of the vironian conflict.
• Orolis’ standing forces are considerably overwhelmed, and the Holy Order of Martyrs disbands into the defensive line.
  • Orolis’ position is favorable; immediately west of the Acrinaleus river, the terrain rises in a steep incline for a hundred paces, and east of the river is swampland.
  • Orolis defends the river easily, causing significant casualties
• Eager to push through the forces north of zedwelle in order to surround the Gildamoir reinforcements before they can reinforce the eastern line, Orolis charges into the Vironian swampland across the river.
  • Dythists had been preparing for this from the beginning, and once the bulk of the army crossed the river, it began to flood violently, preventing the Orolis army from retreating and drowning thousands of the martyrs Along the entire line formed along the Acrinaleus river
  • Bodies and debris from the fortresses and camps hastily built along the river over the last two years were deposited into lake Vilmihlos in such quantities that it took months of concerted effort to clean, and to this day it is not difficult to find evidence and occasionally treasure, since the holy order of martyrs were known for their opulence.
  • Once in the swamplands, the HOM found themselves beset by ambushes, traps and aberrations, as the dythist forces were significantly more likely to be awakened. Strategy here took a drastic form as the terrain itself was entirely inhospitable.
  • Among the horrors was an awakened strain of vine aptly named drownweed, which would reach from the ground to ensnare its prey and drown them in mud. Dythists had woven runes into trees that caused various effects, such as paralysis, insanity, hallucinations, disease and even violent explosions.
• The Orrai, who had led his troops across the river was injured in an ambush and taken to the small village of Gaxelmihlos where he was treated. Reports of what happened come mostly from martyrs, but Orolis scripture says that as he died, he ascended to godhood.
  • A golden, blinding light travels south from Gaxelmihlos to Zedwelle, leading the holy order of martyrs out of the swampland. Tendrils lash out along the way at dythists, leaving behind only piles of ash. It is unknown how many dythists were slain this way, but in the three days the light traveled, it is said to have reached out thousands of times across miles. These tendrils, all coming from the light, help guide the scattered martyr forces
  • Upon reaching Zedwelle, the light hovered over the city for 12 days, abating the night. Gildamoir troops who see the light lay down their weapons and leave the city to seek repentance.
  • The death of the Orrai spurns the Holy Order of Martyrs into a zealous crusade. Over the next few years, Orolis pushes into Breonisian territory.
• AC 59: A sect is created within the HOM to avenge the death of the Orrai. Three hundred among the most veteran awakened martyrs traverse the luxus mountain range and sack Astergarde, purposefully abberrating themselves upon arrival in order to ensure the destruction of the heart of Dythism in Astergarde. Those not slain remained within Astergarde to protect it from being occupied again.