Accounts of the Crescent Eruption

The Crescent Eruption of 420 AFS was one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever happen on Salan. A volcano erupted on Crescent Island, which at the time was one of the most prominent Zeribian settlements. As a result, people fleeing from the eruption and the famine caused by the volcanic winter spread a deadly plague all over Salan, killing approximately 30% of the total population, and up to 80% in some cities.

The Eruption destoyed all evidence of the events before the catastrophe, but some accounts have survived, which can help us to rediscover what lead into the eruption and the spread of the plague in Mpe-ar. What is agreed between all the versions, is that the King Ustetur-Sahar Šamžan caught the plague, and he finally died on the night that the eruption began.

Accounts

A couple of differing accounts survive from the (supposed) eye-witnesses of the Eruption. These are attributed to some of the notable members of the King's court.

First princely account

This account is attributed to the Prince Šamžan Senet, son of the King. He is thought to have given this account in the first weeks since the Eruption.

I stayed awake on my late father's side for the whole night, until he passed away. On that moment, we heard the Eruption begin. This we saw as the sign from the Divines, that we had to leave.

Second Princely Account

This account is also attributed to Prince Šamžan Senet, but he is said to have given this account only after the other accounts had started to circulate among the court.

Sahar's priests had been worried of the Eruption for weeks and warned my father, but deep in the maddness of the plague he did not heed their warnings. He dedicated all of his remaining strenght to the covenant with the Fierce God, and even sacrificed his daughter, my sister, to the Moutain. But it seems that it was not in vain, for dispite the signs, the Eruption did not come, but after when he passed away in the middle of that cursed night. He was clearly blessed, I wish only that the protection would have hold for us as well.

Tyršan Account

This account is attributed to Tyršan Zarnga, the widowed wife of the King's brother. This account was used by her descendants, as a proof that the crown of Crescent (city state) should be belong to them, not the descendants of Šamžan Senet.

The king had become mad, and he no longer listened to the wise words of the Priests. This is why he was cursed by the Divines. First he was struck by the plague, then when the illness didn't kill him, the Gods decided to destroy the whole kingdom for his sake. In the midst of the eruption begining, the prince cried for his father, begging for him to leave, but he refused to order the evacuation. Thus the prince had nothing else he could do, but to murder the mad king and save his people.
Surely the prince did the only right thing he could, but all together he carries the cursed blood within him, and the perpetrator of the foul sin of patricide should never be given the crown again.

Priestly account

This account is attributed to the priesthood of Sahar, and focuses on interpreting the catastrophe as a spiritual analogy. It gives but nebulous account of the events of the night, but is understandable as the refugeed priesthood's attempt of strenghtening the faith, while commenting as little as possible on the fragile politics of their people.

It should be clear as day for anyone observing, how strong the relationship was between the late king and his God. His illness and the Eruption for sure had a spiritual link: in fact it would have been a miracle if the God did not leave the people at the same moment as the king. We should not focus on the deeds of the mortals, but see them as a necessity for the unveiling of the grand divine analogy.

Antimonarchist version

This version is attributed to either traders of craftsmen, outside the traditional ruling elite.

The prince for sure murdered the king, out of spite - for who could have trusted him, after he had left his people for peril in the plague - and after he already had murdered the prince's sister. Surely the prince was the next on his list! But that is just what we can expect from the Rulers, they are always on each other's throats, corrupted by the power and evil in heart. They've been cursed by the Gods, they've destroyed their kingdom, and soon the whole people will be lost, unless we dispose of them first!

Type

Report, Incident

Medium

Oral Tradition / Word of Mouth

Location

Crescent Island

Authors

• Šamžan Senet
• Tyršan Zarnga