Age of Shadows
The Age of Shadows is commonly considered to have begun with the ascension of Belros Azul to the throne of Rancor. A lesser Demonlord (see Demonlords), Belros had aspirations of power long before he ever fell into the pit. Ambitious, he was able to climb the rungs of Hell's ladder, but unlike the other Demonlords of Rancor, Belros rewarded loyalty. He was able to closely ally himself with several key figures, most notably the demons Yzgaroth, Baphomet and Djzargo. Allies form his mortal days, these figures were instrumental in the toppling of Belegor, but none so more than Aeltruad. The Lord of Lies is cunning, and long had entertained aspirations of moving up the proverbial ladder but did not have the power to do so openly. With Belros, he was finally able to do so. The five of them searched long through the Nether Abyss, eventually stumbling upon the gates of Orobeus itself. Within that lost realm they found an artifact, known as the Fist of the Father. This sealed artifact, a remnant of Xultar himself, has the power to absorb a being's divine essence. When finally confronting Belegor, Belros was able to use this artifact, in concert with Yzgaroth, Baphomet, Djzargo and the forces to Aeltruad to absorb the power of the Elder Gods and cast him out from Rancor. Thus did Belros Azul become an Elder God in all but name and ascend as the King of Hell.
Not all of the Demonlords were appeased with this move however, and Venirus attempted to battle Belros for the throne. Quickly defeated by his newfound power, Venirus fled Rancor, becoming known as the Wandering Lord. Replacing him as the Prince of the Damned was Yzgaroth, Baphomet become the Lord of Hatred, ruler of the Sixth Layer of Hell, and Aeltruad became Lord of the Fifth, with Djzargo becoming the Steward of Hell. Thus were the forces of The Shadow realigned under a new lord, and for a time the High Council of Sanctum did not know what to expect, and awaited word from the new King before continuing their conflict. Word they would soon receive.
Decided that the war could not be won in the Nether Abyss, Belros unleashed a new coordinated campaign upon the Known Realms. Pulling back to a defensive position in his holdings in the Nether Abyss, Belros unleashed his greatest generals, Yzgaroth, Baphomet, Aeltruad, himself and others upon the Inner Realms, leaving Djzargo in charge of the defense of Rancor. The resulting damage was catasrophic. Several demonic hordes unleashed upon an unprepared Earedar, and the realm would never be the same.
The event became known as the Infernal Crusade and would define a period of over 700 years of constant conflict and devastation in the Inner Realms. Belros, Baphomet and Xantanas would invade Delnakar, the Shadow Realm, while at the same time Aeltruad, Timmaroth and Zalindra invaded the Elswyld, or the Fey Realm. The destruction was immediate and catastrophic. The vampiric nations of Delnakar quickly fell under the sway of the Shadow, and within a short half century the entire realm was under the rule of Xantanas, Lady of Sin. The fight within the Elswyld was much harder fought, and even to the end of the conflict there were still alrge portions of the realm that would not submit to Aeltruad's dominion. It is largely considered to be the failing of Aeltruad to secure a victory in the Fey Realm to be Earedar's saving grace, as he could not send reinforcements to the invasion of Earedar.
Yzgaroth was the first to touch down on the soil of Earedar, the right hand of Belros. He landed at what is now known as the Shattered Throne and called all true followers of the Shadow to his side, forming the Felidar Imperium. It is from here that he unleashed his campaign against the Elder Races, making war against the now reformed Second Vraekar Empire, the High Kingdom of the Stonelands and the Iskari Empire alike. The Free Marches were ravaged, and eventually Baphomet was able to arrive in reinforcement in the Dragon Coast, in the place now known as Jikarel, while Malpheus landed in what is now known as Maldeus. Eventually Belros himself would join them as well in the Xa'a Empire, and together they unleashed literal Hell on Earedar. The Third Dynasty of Xa'a was toppled when Belros himself conquered their capital, and the First Iskari Empire also fell mysteriously during this time, despite not having a direct invasion of that empire. The Republic of Tyrn was toppled by Yzgaroth, and the entirety of the Dragon Coast and the Khakari Wildlands was set aflame by the forces of Baphomet. Only the Stonelands and the Second Vraekar Empire, under the Silver Dragon Emperor was spared, as Malpheus was unable to conquer these lands.
The forces of the Light were not idle during this time, and direct reinforcements were sent in to assist. The Archangel Sidriel landed at Illidion, and from there led many expeditions against Yzgaroth. Xenades landed at Ombria, leading the campaign against Baphomet, Ishmae at Kitrim against Malpheus, and Azreal in Xa'a against Belros. The Elder God Helmvor even took corporeal form in the High Halls of Durmanthor, shielding his people against the encroaching darkness while Tisrendel defended the Elswyld. Araneos himself, leading a coalition of Bahamut and Ma'liki were able to push deep into the Nether Abyss, and eventually laid siege to the gates of Rancor itself. Not all was well within the forces of the Light however, as Savanne protested against these steps. She claimed that the only way to end this cataclysmic conflict was to pursue peace at all costs and refused to participate. Angered at her cowardice, Araneos cast her out of the council, and she was replaced by Tinareth, Archangel of Faith, and joined Araneos at the gates of Hell.
The Elder Races also did not sit idly by and watch their own conquest. Enemies for millennia, the Stoneborn Dwarfs and the dragonlords quickly found common cause against the Shadow and formed an alliance against them. Malpheus was unable to cause discord amongst this alliance, allowing these two nations to withstand the vicious onslaught of this demonic hordes. The Order of the Ghiscari, longtime the premier scholarly institution in Earedar, turned their focus completely upon the destruction of the Shadow, leaving behind their scholarly roots and training all of their members in brutal combat. Much knowledge was lost due to this, but they were brutally effective on the battlefield. Yet it was not enough. The Shadow was winning.
it was during this time that three heroic figures came together in Illidion in a pivotal moment. Minetos the Wise, follower of Tisrendel, Kakaras, a member of the Sons of the Allfather , and Peregrin, a paladin of Xenades came together in this holy place and founded the Brotherhood of the Oathsworn. An alliance of the Elder Races, they were a brotherhood sworn to the Light, and with the sole purpose of eradicating the Shadow above all other ends. And they were brutally effective. The first were trained by the Ghiscari, as well as the Archangels themselves to wield their holy power. They were able to push back the forces of the Shadow, and the bloody war came to a standstill.
As it is now well known, it was at this time that Celestine returned. Called by the tearing of the fabric of reality, Celestine was furious with the impudent Belros, that her mother's creation might by destroyed by his petulance. To safeguard the Inner Realms and confine this conflict to the Nether Abyss, Celestine cast a mighty spell, now know as Celestine's Law. It prohibited planar travel as well as telportation magic within the Inner Realms, and greatly restricted in within the Outer Realms. She then cast out all extraplanar beings from the Inner Realms, and thus restored peace before retreating into oblivion. But the damage was done. Mighty empires destroyed, knowledge that was once known as lost, and many had died. Thus ended the Age of Shadows.
Decided that the war could not be won in the Nether Abyss, Belros unleashed a new coordinated campaign upon the Known Realms. Pulling back to a defensive position in his holdings in the Nether Abyss, Belros unleashed his greatest generals, Yzgaroth, Baphomet, Aeltruad, himself and others upon the Inner Realms, leaving Djzargo in charge of the defense of Rancor. The resulting damage was catasrophic. Several demonic hordes unleashed upon an unprepared Earedar, and the realm would never be the same.
The event became known as the Infernal Crusade and would define a period of over 700 years of constant conflict and devastation in the Inner Realms. Belros, Baphomet and Xantanas would invade Delnakar, the Shadow Realm, while at the same time Aeltruad, Timmaroth and Zalindra invaded the Elswyld, or the Fey Realm. The destruction was immediate and catastrophic. The vampiric nations of Delnakar quickly fell under the sway of the Shadow, and within a short half century the entire realm was under the rule of Xantanas, Lady of Sin. The fight within the Elswyld was much harder fought, and even to the end of the conflict there were still alrge portions of the realm that would not submit to Aeltruad's dominion. It is largely considered to be the failing of Aeltruad to secure a victory in the Fey Realm to be Earedar's saving grace, as he could not send reinforcements to the invasion of Earedar.
Yzgaroth was the first to touch down on the soil of Earedar, the right hand of Belros. He landed at what is now known as the Shattered Throne and called all true followers of the Shadow to his side, forming the Felidar Imperium. It is from here that he unleashed his campaign against the Elder Races, making war against the now reformed Second Vraekar Empire, the High Kingdom of the Stonelands and the Iskari Empire alike. The Free Marches were ravaged, and eventually Baphomet was able to arrive in reinforcement in the Dragon Coast, in the place now known as Jikarel, while Malpheus landed in what is now known as Maldeus. Eventually Belros himself would join them as well in the Xa'a Empire, and together they unleashed literal Hell on Earedar. The Third Dynasty of Xa'a was toppled when Belros himself conquered their capital, and the First Iskari Empire also fell mysteriously during this time, despite not having a direct invasion of that empire. The Republic of Tyrn was toppled by Yzgaroth, and the entirety of the Dragon Coast and the Khakari Wildlands was set aflame by the forces of Baphomet. Only the Stonelands and the Second Vraekar Empire, under the Silver Dragon Emperor was spared, as Malpheus was unable to conquer these lands.
The forces of the Light were not idle during this time, and direct reinforcements were sent in to assist. The Archangel Sidriel landed at Illidion, and from there led many expeditions against Yzgaroth. Xenades landed at Ombria, leading the campaign against Baphomet, Ishmae at Kitrim against Malpheus, and Azreal in Xa'a against Belros. The Elder God Helmvor even took corporeal form in the High Halls of Durmanthor, shielding his people against the encroaching darkness while Tisrendel defended the Elswyld. Araneos himself, leading a coalition of Bahamut and Ma'liki were able to push deep into the Nether Abyss, and eventually laid siege to the gates of Rancor itself. Not all was well within the forces of the Light however, as Savanne protested against these steps. She claimed that the only way to end this cataclysmic conflict was to pursue peace at all costs and refused to participate. Angered at her cowardice, Araneos cast her out of the council, and she was replaced by Tinareth, Archangel of Faith, and joined Araneos at the gates of Hell.
The Elder Races also did not sit idly by and watch their own conquest. Enemies for millennia, the Stoneborn Dwarfs and the dragonlords quickly found common cause against the Shadow and formed an alliance against them. Malpheus was unable to cause discord amongst this alliance, allowing these two nations to withstand the vicious onslaught of this demonic hordes. The Order of the Ghiscari, longtime the premier scholarly institution in Earedar, turned their focus completely upon the destruction of the Shadow, leaving behind their scholarly roots and training all of their members in brutal combat. Much knowledge was lost due to this, but they were brutally effective on the battlefield. Yet it was not enough. The Shadow was winning.
it was during this time that three heroic figures came together in Illidion in a pivotal moment. Minetos the Wise, follower of Tisrendel, Kakaras, a member of the Sons of the Allfather , and Peregrin, a paladin of Xenades came together in this holy place and founded the Brotherhood of the Oathsworn. An alliance of the Elder Races, they were a brotherhood sworn to the Light, and with the sole purpose of eradicating the Shadow above all other ends. And they were brutally effective. The first were trained by the Ghiscari, as well as the Archangels themselves to wield their holy power. They were able to push back the forces of the Shadow, and the bloody war came to a standstill.
As it is now well known, it was at this time that Celestine returned. Called by the tearing of the fabric of reality, Celestine was furious with the impudent Belros, that her mother's creation might by destroyed by his petulance. To safeguard the Inner Realms and confine this conflict to the Nether Abyss, Celestine cast a mighty spell, now know as Celestine's Law. It prohibited planar travel as well as telportation magic within the Inner Realms, and greatly restricted in within the Outer Realms. She then cast out all extraplanar beings from the Inner Realms, and thus restored peace before retreating into oblivion. But the damage was done. Mighty empires destroyed, knowledge that was once known as lost, and many had died. Thus ended the Age of Shadows.
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