Azvatis

Azvatis is a primal evil in ancient Etherian history and lore.

Summary

Azvatis is an ancient legendary evil that's name dates back to long before First Ones records. He was a darkness that terrorized the Ancient Ones of Etheria.    Over a three thousand years ago, Azvatis ravaged the world. The First Ones worked with the native Etherians were able to remove Azvatis, sealing him away through a magical ritual.
In the year of Azvatis's terror, he was known as "The Famine", "The Night", "The Darkness", "The Devastation".
According to the legends, Azvatis will be brought back by "The Seventh Daughter".

Historical Basis

Fossils in the rocks of the Ice Mountains show years of withered plants that line up with Azvatis's legendary abilities to drain the life of anything around it. While the timelines match, some historians believe this legend was used to explain famine to children.

Spread

The legend of Azvatis fell out of popularity around 1100 BK. 
Revivals typically come up every few decades. There was a spike of revival in the legend in the 1960s with a small group in Plumeria, and in the 1980s in Mystacor.
Plumerian Sect  In 1960, a small group of non-mages began trying to cast spells, altering them to account for their inability to connect with Etheria's magic. The group would meet in a private room of a local tavern in Rosefield, Plumeria. After one of these meetings, the town was hit by a very sudden famine, and the crops died overnight. The group was suspected of involvement, as they emerged from the room with white streaks in their hair, but there was no solid evidence of dark magic otherwise, especially since they were not spellcasters. The charges were dropped, but the group stopped meeting from then on. 
Mystacorian Sect  In the late 1980s, a leader and mage in Mystacor known as Light Spinner began a study into the legendary power of Azvatis. She worked with a small group of mages, and found that her research continued to strength her magic and spellcasting. When the group brought this study to the leaders of Mystacor, it was decided to disband the group. Light Spinner continued her work, and in 1992, a spell associated with Azvatis backfired, killing Norwyn, the Head Sorcerer of Mystacor at the time. Light Spinner fled Mystacor before she could be charged for the crime, and joined the Etherian Horde, taking the name Shadow Weaver. Mystacor banned further research into Azvatis, and removed most references to him from their kingdom, as well as from sources across Etheria.

In Art

A nursery rhyme is still sometimes sung in Plumeria:

The darkness appears,
after so many years,
and magic is taken by him.
Princess fights,
with many brave knights,
Until he sleeps again.
Until he sleeps again.

(Originally: Filleann an dorchadas,
tar éis an oiread sin blianta,
ár draíocht a ghlacadh dá chuid féin,
Troideanna banphrionsa,
le go leor ridirí cróga,
Go dtí go codlaíonn sé arís.
Go dtí go codlaíonn sé arís.

This is loosely based off a longer version of a lesser known song --

He who called the darkness
Shall never see it be.
As destiny will call it,
it's power passed to she.

And so daughter to daughter,
the darkness will grow,
eager and hungry,
for Etheria to know.

Now we are kept in shadows,
For when the darkness appears,
His call finally answered
by the seventh of seven dears,


Centuries of waiting,
and princesses fight,
surrounded by an army
of brave and loyal knights.


History remembers, but people forget
The magic he has taken
Corrupted and kept.
For he has been awakened
It's like he's never slept.
For he has been awaken,
it's like he never slept.

Date of First Recording

10000 BK

Date of Setting

1200 BK