The Event
"The Event" is called this because it affected the world in many ways and not all were exactly bad (though it was mostly bad). Depending on how the event shaped, changed, or destroyed an area, it can sometimes go by other regional names- the Flooding, the Day of Storms, the Invasion, the World Break, etc. The most notable effect was the massive flooding that occurred worldwide because of the gigantic rift to the plane of water near the center of the original continent of E'ahna. The exact cause is still hotly debated by historians and arcanists but was believed to mainly involve damage to the ethereal borders brought on by warring human and elvish mages. It is believed that a massive spell was cast- or attempted- involved with conjuration and it was meant to summon or transport something to or from another plane- likely one of the elemental planes. All planes which touched the material plane, especially the ethereal, elemental, and echo planes, were heavily damaged and the veil which separated them torn asunder. As a result a great many rifts or gateways opened simultaneously around the world to other places. The weave of magic was terribly damaged by this extremely irresponsible spell- bursts of wild conjuration magic wreaked havoc on the world and even opened portals to other planets in the prime material. People were teleported at random and random creatures were summoned from other planes. Some dead folks were even randomly resurrected. Especially large rifts tore open to the echo plane of shadow which was being heavily abused by human and elvish mages to raise the dead in their war.
A large continent became two (Arna & Kharza), entire kingdoms were submerged in newly formed seas (Qusura, Ellesmere, & Ammen), huge tracts of land were permanently tainted by foul magic, and the world gained thousands of new residents. To this day the weave of magic remains damaged and unpredictable in various places- most often along certain magical leylines. This has resulted in the birth of natural-born spellcasters or sorcerers- a new phenomenon in this world. It’s had strange effects on people in many places and in unpredictable ways- including the birth of so-called “Mithril” Dwarves in Azan, and the “Green'' elves of Shora. Another effect of the Event is that many new races came into the world from a whole other world of beast people- these include loxodon, tabaxi, and kenku, among smaller populations of others. Prior to the Event this world did not really know of extraplanar beings other than the fey of Astrithyr. Now the world is filled with genasi, tieflings, triton and aarokocra, among others.
Though over the next few centuries most of the largest obvious rifts were successfully sealed by powerful wizards and clerics, it was more like they were patching a wound and that wound has never healed properly. In some places these wounds still open up from time to time. Some smaller wounds in the veil were never discovered and still hang open out in the wilderness or within the vast underdark, allowing entities to pass to and from. This is why E'ahna is often referred to as The World of Rifts.
Because the event was caused by the meddling of humans and elves with arcane powers they had no business tampering with, many regions in the east have a healthy fear, mistrust, and even hatred of learned magic, believing this kind of power belongs only in the hands of deities or the champions they appoint. The Event is also why the prime deity of magic decided to put a limitation on the level of magical prowess a mortal could obtain- the 9th spell level. Not everyone in the world is savvy to these events of the past- particularly everyday humans to which the Event is almost more like a myth or bedtime story. Countless historical records, books, art, entire cities and kingdoms were lost and forgotten and there are many people who dedicate their lives to collecting items and information from before the great rending- especially long lost artifacts from the arcane age and the ancient magocratic empire of Qusur which now lies at the bottom of the Qusuran Sea.
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