by Strixxline
Myth and Legend
The Leyline of Oblivion is believed to have been the cause of the Nameless Age, as historians of Malkora follow the few records they have uncovered from the ancient empire of the
Antecedents, citing myths such as the
Font of Oblivion and others, which paint a picture of destruction at the hand of uncontrolled oblivion magic.
Most myths pertaining to ancient relics such as the font of night point to human error as the beginning of the end — irresponsible handling of magic, leading to the destabilization of the leylines, and to their splitting from one another into dualities.
Historical Uses
Theories on the historical applications of oblivion magic are different across the world. Some believe that this magic was used in concentrated amounts by the Antecedents to dispell enchantments and other magical effects, where others may take a darker stance, believing that oblivion magic was used in imprisonment and torture methods, in order to contain powerful magic users.
Others believe that oblivion simply did not exist before the split of the leylines, and that the entire physical domain of power was used simply to regulate the strength of different magical abilities and their applications.
Oblivion's Wake
Though Malkora's age of darkness is officially referred to as the Nameless Age, the force against which humanity fought during that time is known as Oblivion's Wake, further pushing the notion that oblivion magic was the blight behind it.
Darkness swept the plane as the Empire of Aether crumbled against the hungering void which stripped it of the magic which powered every aspect of it. Certain populations were wiped out as the powers maintaining their structures faded away, sending them crumbling or crashing to the ground. Populations which survived the initial fall would succumb to sickness as the oblivion pulled at powers which made up their very essence, some humans being horrifically transformed in the process.
As the gods began to arrive in Malkora, and as the primals of the world began to awaken, humanity would be granted their boons over time, and would pass these boons to the generations after them through their bloodlines.
Oblivion Remains
Though Oblivion's Wake was halted and dispelled by humanity at the end of the Nameless Age, the Leyline of Oblivion yet remains, and emerges as all other leylines do. Thus, the threat of oblivion magic always remains, never to be erased fully from the lands of Malkora.
In spite of its ancient track record of destruction, its role in balancing the duality of the phsycial domain of power is understood by those who study the arcane; this knowledge, however, does not stave away the fear of oblivion resurfacing as it once did and sentencing Malkora to another dark age.
The Null-Magic Lands
The largest known emergence of the leyline of oblivion is located in Yulrorim, which was once known to be the location of the Empire of Aether's heart. This was the crown jewel of the empire, where magic flourished at its best and brightest. What remains there now are ruins lost to time and darkness, and wastelands in which all magical life ceases to be.
One with the Void
Few are able to make homes in such lands; those who do are often twisted by the magical void to the point where they may no longer be seen as human. There are those such as the
Yulrori Umbralists who have found their essence tied to these null-magic lands, and conspire to find a method by which they may expand the area of the leyline's influence, inflicting the void on lands beyond their borders.
Though there are not many others around to combat the umbralists, those who do so fear that their mission would come at the cost of unleashing another Nameless Age upon Malkora.
Seeking the Lost
There are those who would seek to expand the leyline's reach, those who would seek to suppress it for good, and those who simply seek to know more — regardless of end goal, there are many who seek out the secrets of the leyline, lost to time.
Expeditions into null-magic lands, like those in Yulrorim are not unheard of, but none have yielded anything monumental, if anything at all. Even if the expedition returned home, which is rare enough on its own, finding relics of the ancients that are more valuable than a pottery shard is atypical. These expeditions come with extreme risk, and are proven to have little to no reward.
Well this is absolutely terrifying. D: I do love your sub-headers, they are great.
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I love the way subheaders set up the flavor of an article :)
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