Decay

"We heard of Lonnhaven and began to race Death to it. We passed the Elderwood, no longer wooded, appearing as desiccated bones spearing the sky. The grass of Great Plains of Aeruth crumbled beneath our feet. Bodies littered our journey, the bodies of men and animals alike, each having failed their quest for salvation... my Zilyana among them..."

Tales of the Last Pilgrimage [5746 GC]

No one knows the cause of the great Decay that affected all of Nemas. Scholars have yet to find a reason or catalyst, while whispers speak of the Corrupt Lords's influence. What is known is Nemas died a slow death as all its natural energies were expended. In retrospect, it was easy to watch areas die out. The jungles were the first to die as too many plants expended the natural energy of the areas. The forests fell next. Stunted saplings were the first sign. Then the ferns and bushes started to die off. The full grown trees were the last to fall, withered husks standing as bones reminiscent of a previous time. The grasslands were the last to disappear, marking the passage of decay.

Many villages and cities noticed the extinction too late and perished slowly as food grew scarce. The groups that were proactive faced steep competition with each other in their race to get to Lonnhaven, the one place unaffected by the blight. Long lasting feuds that exist to this day started in the Marches. A vast majority of the population of Nemas perished the in aftermath. After the city was at maximum capacity, the single gate to the city was closed and yet pilgrims kept coming. The initial cause is lost to history, but the resulting conflict between the excluded pilgrims left the sand bloody. Any survivors abandoned the newly christened Crimson Gate and Lonnhaven, hoping there might be another haven elsewhere in Nemas.

History

According to first hand accounts, the Decay began in isolated areas around the 385th passing of Bas in 5013 GC. The reports were initially dismissed by many due to the recently coterminous Shadowfell or ignored as the ramblings of mad men. In 5015 GC, Queen Arcaena Aetris of [Iseadour] was the first leader to mandate conservation efforts and put considerable resources into studying the Decay.

TO BE EXPANDED

Cultural Reception

A definitive cause for the Decay has not been found. Several theories do exist among the citizens of Lonnhaven.

Astralphysics

The most widely accepted belief comes from Astralphysics and the Theory of Grand Convergeance. With Theory of Grand Convergence calculating the second Grand Convergence at 10,000 GC, the belief is that the Decay is a natural phenomena was simply a byproduct of Nemas' age and caused by Nemas entering the latter half of its existence.

Divine Origin

Those of who still worship the Savior Gods believe the Decay always existed on Nemas, but was held back by the Gods collective power. They believe that, as the faith of the people waned, the power of Savior Gods was diminished and the Decay was able to spread. A small sect of the Cult of the Saviors believe the Decay was a punishment for the general populous straying away from faith. A different thought of the faith states that the Decay was caused by the influence of the Corrupt Lords ' imprisonment.

Arcane Corruption

Still others believe the Decay is an uncontrollable spell developed during the [Age of Inspiration]. Whether the spell was cast intentionally or it was unintended is debated, but most believe that no mage, sane or insane, would doom the entire plane.