Great Burning

Background

There was a time when the Townsfolks and the Nomads were one people, but when the Townsfolk felt their religion was threatened, they separated from the Nomads and decided to create their own way of life, settled in one place behind high walls which would keep the dangers of the world away out.

Preparations

In the year of The Protector 2598, The Protector himself visited The Protector's Cleric at the time, Chosen Patton, in a dream and spoke of a land where the Townsfolk would no longer need to travel from place to place and would be free to worship him. He gave Chosen Patton instructions to head North and start a blaze that would light up the world.

So, Chosen Patton led the Townsfolk North until they reached the Northern Crags. Here they found a place beside a river where they could rest and make camp. But making camp was hard with so many trees and other natural elements fighting them at every turn. In the winter of 2599 Chosen Patton had another dream. In this dream he saw a great fire engulfing all the trees which stood in the way of his vision.

The Great Burning

Once the preparations had been made, Chosen Patton lit the first fire on the 8 Kokkæblåmstrar 2600. This date was chosen deliberately to coincide with the Nomad celebration, Blåmstarfast, a festival dedicated to the collection of flowers and the celebration of new life. The Townsfolk saw this as their final step in separating themselves once and for all from the Nomads.
After the first fire had been lit, many more were started along the west bank of the river, allowing the Townsfolk to stay relatively safe on the eastern side. Men of Authority and other brave men saw to it that the fire spread as far as the coast in the west, covering the smouldering embers with water and sand and grit to discourage it from returning.

Stats

Start Date

8 Kokkæblåmstrar 2600

End Date

25 Pylvyfulgar 2603

Once the area immediately to the west of the river had been cleared, the Townsfolk who had stayed behind began to settle there. They named the river the Guardian River, as it had kept them safe and started work building The Old Church, Stoneham Town. The first stone was laid by Chosen Patton who then revealed* that he was a direct descendant of Harald of The Protectors who had founded the Religion of The Towns.

While Stoneham Town was being built, new fires were started on the east of the Guardian River and spread throughout the Endless Forest.
The fires ran rampant, destroying not only the trees and wildlife but also any Nomad Camps which weren't fast enough to get out of the way. The River Mercy was named after their cries.

After stoking the fire further, across the River Mercy, the Townsfolk allowed the fire to run its course. It swept through the forest, only finally running out of fuel in the winter of the third year of fires, when it reached the Moss Dropp Ridge.
During this time, Towns began to be built across the area that had been cleared, and the Townsfolk considered the land settled by them.

* Whether or not this is true has never been proven, but it is accepted as hard fact by all Townsfolks to this day.

Aftermath

Despite their best efforts at the time, the Nomads were unable to stop the Great Burning. However, once the fires stopped raging they were able to mitigate some of the damage that had been done. Many clans descended on the area and worked tirelessly to restore the parts of the forest along Moss Dropp Ridge. In doing so, Cressund Town became the town situated closest to the edge of the Endless Forest, which was built 100 years later.
The purpose of the Great Burning had been to create a safe space for those who believed in The Protector and those they would be able to convert in the future. To that extent it was successful, but it is something that is still remembered by the Nomads to this day.

The Townsfolk, however, celebrate the first day of the Great Burning, and it is remembered as part of their Festival of the New Dawn which takes place on the same day as the Nomad Blåmstarfast.

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