Sinking of Sekkar & Vauldis Rises to Lichdom

Years after the Schism , Vauldis once more became obsessed with the pursuit of immortality, which he believed would allow him to solidify his legacy and continue to rule over Nidea for centuries to come. he poured over ancient and forbidden knowledge, send out agents to gather valuable and ancient clues and artifacts. Eventually Vauldis discovered an ancient and powerful spell called the Ritual of the Black Sun. it was a significant milestone in his quest for immortality. He became obsessed with unlocking the secrets of lichdom. With his vast knowledge of Magic and his deep understanding of the ley-lines, Vauldis was able to piece together the fragmented knowledge of the ritual and its purpose.   However, redirecting the magic of the ley-lines was to be no easy task. It required the construction of a network of subterranean black towers across key junctions of ley-lines in order to corrupt and redirect the magic through the Black Lands. This was a dangerous and complex process that required secrecy and precision to execute successfully.   To ensure the success of the plan, Vauldis deployed his most trusted agents to oversee the construction of the black towers in secret. The agents worked tirelessly to ensure that the construction was done with the utmost care and attention to detail, knowing that any mistakes could have dire consequences.   Despite the dangers and difficulties involved in the process, Vauldis remained undeterred. He was determined to achieve his goal and become a lich, no matter the cost. His obsession with immortlity had consumed him, and he was willing to risk everything to achieve it.   To cement his lasting legacy, he gathered his most loyal followers and other zealous adherents to witness his transformation.   The ritual began, and every black tower constructed in secret suddenly roared to life. The magic of the ley-lines surged through the black towers and up through Sekkar's tallest peak: the Black Citadel. The Air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled. Suddenly, all magic in the world ceased to function, and a powerful confluence of dark energy surged into a grand altar at the peak of the Citadel where Vauldis' followers watched in awe and fear.   The effect was immediate and catastrophic. The crowd of Vauldis' followers were consumed by the magic and sacrificed in a ritualistic mass suicide, their life force feeding the dark magic that flowed into the Black Citadel. The power was almost too much for the physical world to bear, and natural disasters began to erupt around Sekkar and beyond.   The earth shook and ruptured, earthquakes causing mountains to crumble and split apart. Tsunamis struck the coastal regions of many nations around the Nidean Sea, causing massive devastation and loss of life. The skies turned black as a massive storm formed above the site of the ritual, lightning flashing and thunder rolling across the land. Even the sun itself seemed to turn black.   Amidst the chaos, Vauldis stood at the heart of the Black Citadel, bathed in the pure necrotic magic of the ritual. His body absorbed the life force of one hundred souls, and the magic of dark, extra-planar leyline energy surged through him. It was too much for any mortal body to handle, and Vauldis' life was extinguished as his body was consumed.   The destruction of Nidea was swift and all-encompassing. The earthquakes that rocked Sekkar were felt across the entire Kalkaross Peninsula, shattering buildings and tearing apart the earth. Tidal waves of immense size crashed against the shores, washing away entire cities and leaving nothing in their wake. The very ground beneath the feet of the people seemed to open up, swallowing everything in its path.   As the Black Citadel crumbled and fell, Vauldis' followers and any surviving Nideans fled in terror. The once great nation of Nidea, with its mighty armies and powerful magic, was no more. The destruction wrought by Vauldis' quest for power was absolute, and the world was left to pick up the pieces in the aftermath.   The effects of the destruction were felt across the entire region. The seismic activity caused by the ritual triggered volcanic eruptions, further exacerbating the destruction. As the ash and debris from these eruptions filled the air, the skies darkened, plunging the region into an eerie, foreboding darkness that lasted for days.   Following the cataclysmic destruction of the Kalkaross Peninsula, the remnants of the region were eventually reconstituted as Kalki Isle, but only two Nideans managed to survive. Vauldis Awakened on the ruins of the Black Citadel years after the disaster, having transcended the boundaries of life and death. He had become the first lich. Meanwhile, Hephsut, Vauldis' envious scribe, washed ashore in the desert sands of the Gold Expanse, the sole other living survivor of the disaster. No others were able to survive the devastation wrought by Vauldis and his insatiable thirst for power. The impact of his actions would be felt for generations to come.