Dark Times

Nothing is eternal, not even the light of a Radiant, for when that light finally fades, the Dark Times shall come forth to bring untold horrors. - Watcher Corps Veteran

With the power of the Radiants keeping the influence of The Gloom at bay from their citadels, it has brought relative peace to their lands over the many years that they reign. However like all things, nothing can escape death, and that includes Radiants themselves. Leaving their thrones empty and unable to use their power to deter the force of the dark and beginning the search for a new successor to the role of Radiant. During this time however, causes a catastrophic event that can only be described as a living nightmare as Gloomspawn become more active than ever before. Bring death and destruction in their wake, leading to events that transpire to be known as dark times for they are truly when they come to pass.

Manifestation

Coming of the Dark Hordes

As the light of a Radaint fades from the land, Gloomlings and Darken shall be a more common sight as the power that kept them at bay is no more. They will begin to emerge from the dark place that they have dwelled in for so long and seek to consume all in their path. As massive hordes shall begin to grow as weeks go by and move across the land, targeting settlement after settlement that they come across. These hordes grow so large that it is often difficult to wipe them out and can only be held back with Vigil Warders and other means Radiance tools to keep them engulfing settlements and claim all within them. As for the Darken, they shall being to sow madness and discontent to anyone within their reach, as they begin to turn them into Gloomspawn and cause chaos with settlements in an attempt to break their defenses. These hosts of darkness will not break apart until a new Radaint sits upon the throne so that their light may destroy them and drive the remnants away and back into the dark places where the light will never reach them.

Time of Corruption

As a dark time progresses so does the influence of the Gloom as it corrupts the land around it. The areas within constant contact with it will begin to whether and die the longer Gloomspawn are found within it. Leaving it dead and unable to be used to grow crops or hold wildlife. What's worse, the dangers of Gloomification increase as well as many will be brought towards the edge as they are left in a dire situation with few options left for them as they face the horrors that seek to consume them and that they love. Those that experience the Dark Times find little hope as it appears that the world is ending right before their eyes. Leading to entire regions falling into complete chaos as their populations scramble to safety all the while showing signs of corruption themselves without realizing it. This can go beyond the corrupted areas as well as a disruption in resources and manpower from other areas can cause negative effects and cause corruption in these regions as fear and paranoia start to take hold as people try to prepare for the worse that is to come.

Localization

A dark time will often take place within a Radiarch that lacks a Radiant on the throne, as the Glooms influence is more potent without any power to challenge it. The strength of it however varies from area to area as settlements and admirative leadership have devised failsafe to keep the corruption in check with. The longer a Radiant is absent the more damage a Dark Time can achieve, with them spanning from a few weeks to months and in some rare cases, years before they can finally end entirely and bring peace back to the land.

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural

A Land of Terror

by midjourney

You never know what it is like to fear without the light until you go through a Dark Time and if you survive you will never forget what true fear is. - Old Man

Whenever a Dark Time approaches, the people who inhabit the land know when to fear and hide away in their settlement for safety and protection from the darkness that befalls the land, those who a smart enough will prepare for them decades in advance so when the time comes they have a chance to survive. Those that don't will often parish in the coming days, but even being prepared may not be enough as the longer the dark time last the less chance that survival is possible.