Timeline

Administrator Posts : 129 Join date : 2012-02-03

=[ Timeline ]=
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Originally for Aeria by Pat.
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Recent History

MoP : Miracle of Peace, refers to an event that established the empire as it exists today, under the Maylarn dynasty.)

House Simmons, a very wealthy and influential family, one of the eight Great Houses of Talibar, under the lead of Lord Andrew Simmons, contacts the elusive and shadowy order known as The Vitæ, a sect of rogue Vitamancers operating in southern Talibar. The Vitæ, well known in criminal circles for their brutal methods and experiments, is enlisted to the Lord Simmons service with the promise of vast sums of money and greater freedom from the law in Talibar. Lord Simmons charges the order with a task; the creation of a being skilled and powerful enough to assassinate the Prophet of Tyr.

535
After more than thirty years of development, The Vitæ finally achieve their goal - Adamus is born, a being magically and alchemically enhanced with super-human traits and abilities; dubbed 'the perfect human being' by its creators, it is the linchpin in House Simmons' plot.

537
The Emperor's firstborn and heir, Galba Maylarn, drowns on return from a diplomatic voyage to the Everrain Isles.

540
Emperor Tiberius Maylarn dies of old age. With the death of Galba three years before, Lucius Verus Maylarn, the Emperor's second born, is named heir.
In winter 540MoP, the coronation of Emperor Lucius Verus Maylarn is undertaken in the High Chapel of Tyr in Imperia. In attendance are the Royal Family, the Council, the representatives of the 7 Great Houses, and the Prophet of Tyr, performing as he has for the last hundred years; blessing the coronation of the new Emperor. In the middle of the proceedings the Simmon's plot comes to fruition, the being Adamus striking along with several traitorous Crepidonis. Vera Maylarn and Antonius Maylarn, the Emperor's sister and brother respectively, are murdered by Adamus and the Emperor himself is wounded before The Prophet can act. What follows is a brief but intensive fight between Adamus and The Prophet, as described by a witness of the events, a member of the Crepidonis-

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All I could see was a blur and then the man was on the dais, two wicked-looking blades in his hands, and the next thing I know the entire Royal Family is on the ground, bleeding like crazy, dead or alive, I didn't know. And then the Prophet grew so bright it hurt to look at him, and called down some sorta fist-of-god, but the man wasn't there when it hit, and the dais just blew apart, sending stone every-which-way. The last thing I saw was the man running towards the Prophet, faster than anybody I've ever seen, when suddenly half of the guards turned traitor and it was all I could do to defend myself.

Ultimately the coup de tat was thwarted, Adamus slain. The Emperor was healed by the Prophet and the coronation was completed in the empty chapel. Emperor Lucius Verus Maylarn ascended the throne on November 11, 540MoP.
Apprehended in his family manor northwest of Imperia, Andrew Simmons is stripped of his title, tried for high treason, and beheaded for the crime. The rest of the Simmons family is ostensibly forgiven.
Almost as a footnote in an otherwise turbulent year, Leyanara opens its doors to the world at large. The city experiences rapid growth over the next few years, becoming one of the most prosperous in Talibar.

541
Uncovering the extent of the conspiracy against his throne becomes the newly crowned Emperor's obsession. He orders all of the Simmons' assets and property frozen, beginning an exhaustive examination of the House's dealings. After several weeks of investigation, the Emperor discovers a link between the House and The Vitæ. Driven by vengeance and paranoia, he musters the might of the Empire against the Vitæ, tracking them to their hidden compound in the far north. In a secret raid of the compound, the Empire slew nearly a quarter of The Vitæ, capturing the rest, including their leader, one Silvena Laurence. The Empire puts to death all of their experiments, and transports the prisoners to Imperia.
Immediately upon arrival at Imperia, another quarter of The Vitæ were beheaded at the whim of the Emperor. Fearing her imminent execution, Laurence requests an audience with the Emperor, during which she manages to convince him to spare the rest of the Vitæ, in return for their service. She promises to use her order's abilities to sniff out and silence the Emperor's enemies; she promises a network of the greatest assassins and spies ever imagined,greater than the Oculus Infinitum, placing him always one step ahead of his enemies. Her words appeal to the Emperor's growing paranoia, and he suspends her execution indefinitely.
In late 541, a secret council composed of the Emperor's highest ranking advisers and himself convenes and adjures within the same hour. What is produced is the product of the Emperor's growing paranoia; the Writ of Cautela, a policy known only to the Emperor and his highest council. The Writ of Cautela(Old Talibarian, 'Security') is an act that will form the overall policy of Lucius Verus' reign. The Writ states that the security of the Empire and the throne shall be the nation's greatest concern, to 'safeguard the spark of divinity given to man'. The Writ authorizes any means necessary to secure the Empire against any and all threats, from within and without. Throughout Lucius Verus' reign the Writ will color all of his executive actions. Under the Writ, greater quantities of gold are poured into the military than ever recorded during peacetime, expanding the Legion from the peacetime count of 430,000 men to an astounding 850,000, peaking at 900,000 legionaries during the height of his reign. The Writ appropriates funds to nearly double the Crepidonis, while establishing intensive fortification to the ancient city. The Writ also appropriates funds to several martial and magical weapons programs, most significantly the newly christened Vitamantia, formed from the remnants of the Vitæ. The Writ calls for yearly reports undertaken by a council of experts reporting directly to the Emperor, christened 'Wisdom', who analyze and categorize possible threats and offer possible policies. 'Wisdom' is designated the governing board of all independent organizations under the Writ. Wisdom is composed of former members of the Oculus Infinitum, powerful mages, and trusted politicians.

542-545
The first undertaking of the Writ of Cautela is the elimination of the House of Simmons. In early 542 much of the men of the household (Uncles, Brothers, Sons of Lord Simmons) are called to trial on evidence provided by The Vitæ and executed for conspiracy to commit high treason. This action effectively cripples the House; however, the Emperor is not satisfied. Over the next 2 years the House of Simmons is slowly whittled away, members dying from 'accidents', 'muggings', and 'political rivals'. Elder members are executed on inflated charges of treason, while the rest of the family is eliminated one by one. Fearing for their lives, the remaining members of the House flee, abandoning their influence and fortune. In 545, the House of Simmons has ceased to be, with the fortune being seized by the Empire and lands redistributed.

548
The Council passes legislature that finally outlaws slavery in the eastern provinces. The law hits hard, particularly in the port city of Ulamahad, crippling the highly profitable slave trade between Sida and the former Seljuk territories, while also offending particular cultural mores or religious beliefs concerning slavery;certain sects place all 'beastfolk' in subjugation to man, with slavery being a right given by God. The economic and social upheaval caused by the law is seen by contemporary historians as playing a key role in the troubles to come. Motivation behind the law is both parts moral and practical; ostensibly, slavery in the provinces is a form of indentured servitude. However, many 'indentured servants' sold to slave-masters in Sida for 2-5 year terms are never seen again. Furthermore, it is widely held, if unconfirmed, that the slave trade is a method by which the Nasiiac Sultanate may spread subversives among the rebellious Sel'juk populace.

548-553
The law cultivates the birth of a vibrant illegal slave trade almost overnight. Anti-Talibarian sentiment grows, due to a mix of growing crime levels, cultural offenses, and Sidan subversives.
The Sidan Sultanate contacts several subversive groups, offering aid and support. The revolutionaries operate under the belief that the Nasiic Sultanate will absorb the occupied lands once held by the Seljuk Sultanate, and form a new Caliphate.

553
The Second Seljuk Unrest begins.
Anti-Talibarian sentiment peaks in the eastern provinces, particularly in the areas once ruled by the Sel'juk Sultanate.
United by a mixture of religious, cultural, and economic offenses, several subversive groups begin operating against the Empire, adopting incitive religious names meant to 'stir the populace'. Talibarian merchants go missing, officials are murdered, and a legion academy is set ablaze.
Wisdom, in it's annual report to the Emperor, believes that the Sultanate of Nasii is supporting these revolutionaries. It recommends immediate intervention to circumvent total rebellion in the province.

553-560
The Seljuk Unrest takes off in earnest, with the public murder of several high-profile Talibarian merchants in early 552.
Out of a mix of spite and profit, several frontier villages, notable for being composed of mostly Talibarian settlers, are raided by slaving bands, their inhabitants sold to Sida and never seen again. The worrying trend continues for the next 5 years.
In 555 the province erupts in open rebellion. Riots engulf most of the major cities, with local peacekeeping forces being overwhelmed or turning traitor.
Wisdom's conjecture about Sidan support of the rebellion turns to be more than accurate. In late 555-556, the revolutionaries begin storming legion forts and compounds, supplemented by a host of Sidan soldiers.
The Eastern Compage is mobilized, moving to bring the province under control.
The Vitamantia are fielded for the first time since their recreation, operating in counter-revolutionary actions; evacuating officials, assassinating leaders, providing intelligence. They act in an auxiliary role to the Oculus Infinitum, who provide their normal services.
It is now apparent to Wisdom that the rebellion is part of a Sidan gambit to gain control of the eastern provinces. Indeed, the Nasiic Zufar has already begun an invasion to take control of the region. The Zufar occupies a number of cities, greeted by cheering crowds and a jubilant populace.
What follows is a bloody four year struggle to fend off the invading Zufar and bring the populace into line. The Empire is forced to muster up additional forces from Cramiche and the west to assist the beleaguered Compage.
The Seljuk Unrest finally ends in 560, with the Battle of Ulamahad. The Zufar is pushed back into Sida, and the majority of the rebellion is quelled, in some cases quite brutally. Sporadic unrest continues well into the next decade.

576-578
In the face of violent Occitanian expansionism north of the Khadrin mountains, within the Wastes, thousands of Talibarian settlers are forced to flee for their lives over a 2 year period. The Occitanian Military murders any settler too slow to flee back to Talibar. Legion detachments in that area, stationed primarily at isolated forts, are credited with slowing down the expansion enough to allow the citizens to flee.

580
Wisdom, in it's annual report to the Emperor, lists the former 'Jewel of Talibar', Surna, as a potential hotbed of Anti-Talibarian sentiment, listing the city's fall from economic powerhouse to it's current, sorry state. Indeed, the city has fallen far, since the founding of Exemplar and the discovery of Leyanara. Surna is now the home to a thriving underbelly of criminals, cultists, vampires, and necromancers. Both the guard and the Governorship are recognized as very corrupt.

583
Olden Roleplay begins.
In late 583, an attempt is made on the Royal family by a group of cultists and demon worshipers based in the Surnan area, led by Illefarnian Raven Xantara and the exiled demon known as 'Leonard'. While the cultists were successful in the murder of the daughter of the Emperor, their assault of the Imperial Palace was routed by members of the Crepidonis and the First Royal Cohort. The majority of their followers slain, the Illefarnian and Leonard fled, unsuccessful. In the panicked aftermath, the Royal Family was incorrectly reported to have been slain.
In the aftermath of the attempt, Wisdom orders several of it's agents to Surna to root out the rest of the cultists and further evaluate the area.
The Otherworld Crisis Begins.
The winter of 583 is the worst in nearly 200 years, crippling trade and transport in the north. Surna and her sister cities are cut off from the rest of the empire for several months.
The nebulous being known only as 'Phobia', wielding previously unseen 'anti-magical' energies, leads an invasion of mysterious beings and beasts into the Surna and her surrounding environs, tormenting a scared and isolated populace.
The Guard, along with an unlikely conglomerate of criminals, mages, necromancers, and warriors, leads an effective resistance against the invading entities.
For several months until the end of the year the two forces clash, trading blows in several conflicts in the Great Forest and within the city limits.
Dispatched Wisdom agents study the strange beings and record the conflict, tentatively making contact with the populace.
In late December the conflict is over, the being 'Phobia' slain, the brunt of an invading army stopped before it could invade Talibar proper.

584
As the intensity of the winter lessens, the events of the Otherworld Crisis are gradually made known to the rest of the empire, in rumors and whispers. The Wisdom agents make their report to the Emperor, who immediately realizes the extent of the Crisis. An investigation is undertaken, while the incident is labeled the act of 'cultists and demon worshippers'.
The Prophet returns to Talibar abruptly, breaking his 40 year absence, immediately and mysteriously organizing a pilgrimage to Surna.
The Prophet returns to Imperia a month later in as much of a flurry as he left. He makes an appearance before the Council for the first time in nearly a century, calling for something that had not occurred for much longer before that; an Inquisition. With the Council's approval, the Church is given supreme authority in all matters over the city of Surna and her environs. Talibar responds to The Prophet's call, thousands of knights and ordained paladins converging in Imperia. The Prophet blesses the force as the next 'Divine Inquisition'.
The Surnan Inquisition Begins.
The Inquisition arrives in Surna, suspending both the office of the governor and the guard. The Inquisition takes the place of the guard, patrolling the streets and convicting offenders. Violence against citizens is common, and executions occur daily.
Surnan Guard Commander Thorn Razel refuses to abdicate his position, leading those that will follow him in guerrilla action against the Inquisition. The resistance is notable in that most of those that fought against the Otherworld Invasion also join this newly formed resistance.
The Surnan Resistance and the Inquisition engage in open combat in the streets, notable buildings trading hands several times with no progress on either side. Causalities on both sides are significant.
In the middle of this conflict, a large structure of Otherwordly nature appears in Surna's woods with no explanation, spreading a massive Anti-Magical field over all of Surna, strong enough to begin to wear away at the very magical make-up of the city. Thorn Razel, Zayl Rathman, and a local mage confronted the structure and destroyed it. It's destruction imparted strange powers upon the individuals.
The Surnan Resistance, pressing an advantage, nearly pushes the Inquisition out of the city with a city-wide push. The fighters retake the Guardhouse, center of Inquisition command. The Prophet flees from the city with his high command.
Alfred Hook, a member of the High Council, contacts Commander Razel, making his distaste of the Inquisition clear, promising political and martial support.
The Prophet and his forces assault the city, penetrating the walls, cornering the Resistance in a small bar in the center of the city. Against all odds, the Surnan Resistance fights off the invaders, forcing the Prophet to flee. A few members of the Surnan Resistance pursue, traveling through a portal left in the Prophet's wake.
Deep within the fabled Black Pyramid, the Prophet revealed the truth of his station to the freedom fighters, displaying the broken and chained avatar of Tyr before them. Abandoning all secrecy, he brought forth the extent of his power, near god-like in form, and fought the Surnans. Though their casualties were nearly full, Commander Razel was able to fight the Prophet to a standstill with the aid of the strange Otherworld powers imparted to him by the structure. Ultimately the Prophet's link to the divine power of Tyr was severed with the destruction of the chained Avatar, leading to the Prophet's death.
Councilor Hook, making good on his promise, presents evidence of the Church's corruption and their action in Surna to the Emperor, resulting in the arrest of several dozen high ranking priests and government officials. The Legion intervenes in the Surnan conflict, bringing the remaining Inquisitors into line. The Church undergoes a radical reordering, with a number of strict limitations placed on the church. These limitations are, of course, extremely unpopular with the clergy and the religious in Talibar.
Following the end of the Inquisition, Councilor Hook makes a unique request to the Emperor, which is approved. He makes his way for Surna, becoming it's new Governor, the Councilor feeling driven to help Surna and it's people given all that they have suffered.
A mysterious being known only as The Ancient makes his first appearance in Surna. He appears to a number of individuals, quarantining the lingering Otherworld presence in Surna, and obtaining several items of Otherworld paraphernalia, and then vanishing.
The Five Year Skip.

585-589
In secret, the dreaded Archfiend Ossus returns to Aeria. Trekking across the Wastes, he systematically murders members of the Shire family over the course of the next six years.
Driven by The Prophet's crimes, Marius Shire founds the Vindicators after time spent with The Waste's Dragoons. Dedicated to the defense of mortal freedoms, the Vindicators expand greatly over the next five years, collecting the best mages, warriors, and spellswords Aeria has to offer.
Marius Shire uses an extremely powerful blade forged by the Dragoons, known as the Equalizer, to sever a piece of the Weave from the Black Pyramid and thus, Mystra. He uses this to create a new and vibrant weave known as 'The Surge' for his order to use.
Several prominent Vindicators, including Shire himself, operate in Nasii in efforts to destabilize the slave trade and remove the power of the Sultanate. This action garners the attention of Wisdom, who fear that the Vindicator's Talibarian origin may cause another war between the Nasiic Sultanate and Talibar.
Wisdom notes the Vindicators as a possible threat to the throne and Imperial stability, and begin studying their efforts and abilities.
After years of searching, the Vitamantia finally locate a rogue agent by the name of Kelly Laurence. She is significant for being the direct descendant of Adamus, and a linch-piece in what the Vitamantia hope to next produce. They dispatch a trio of agents to acquire her, forcibly if necessary. They whisk her from the home of Zayl Rathman in the summer of 586.
Following in her tracks, Zayl Rathman embarks on a three year crusade against the Vitamantia, uncovering the extent of their organization. The Vitamantia and Wisdom suffer great damages as a result of his efforts. At the end of this three year crusade, his trail is cut, unable to continue further. He makes his way home in the hopes of finding a new lead.
Guided by the newly freed Tyr, the Ahdsurian Isles are slowly and secretly united, through an array of political negotiation and consolidation. For the first time in 2,000 years the 12 tribes of Ahdsur are united under a single banner.
Faeru Kelvas, under divine inspiration, founds the Concordic Knights, a religious order based off traditional Elven teachings but operating within empires of man.

589
The Five Year Skip Ends.
The Vitamantia follow Zayl to Surna, deploying several operatives to secure his elimination. In response, Rathman gathers together a group, including his old friend, Marius Shire, to fight against them. Rathman secures several victories, including the location of Silvena Laurence, the Imperial Palace. He begins conspiring an assault on the Palace with Shire.
The Kerodilian Crisis Begins
As has occurred on a regular basis for the last several centuries, Inferia invades the Free Kingdom, seeking to overrun Durender. However, the traditional aid to be received from Aurelus and Gikarta never arrives, Aurelus and Gikarta fending off their own invasion of 'Inferians'.
Jacob Aurelus, living in Surna, seeks aid for his homeland, gathering several skilled adventurers to deliver a message to convince the king of Durender to accept aid from Talibar. These adventurers, with the aid of the Sentinels, make their way across war-torn Kerodil and accomplish their objective, while inflicting great causalities upon the invading Inferian Army.
The mysterious northern force moves like a tidal wave through northern Kerodil, inflicting severe causalities on Aurelus and utterly destroying Gikarta, before vanishing, the Gikartan merchant fleet mysteriously disappearing.
To the Emperor and Wisdom, the threat from Shire, Rathman, and the Vindicators are clear. A general order is given by Wisdom; the immediate elimination of every Vindicator, at home or abroad. Hundreds of Vindicators are cut down by the Vitamantia in cold blood; the rest are forced to flee from Talibar, taking refuge all across Aeria.
The Sharic Invasion Begins.
A strange beast is cut down by the Surnan guard; it's death signals the release of an extremely deadly plague that immediately afflicts all of Surna. Laurence and the rest of the Vitamantia are forced to travel to Surna to confront the plague, working at a frenzied pace alongside their former foe, Zayl Rathman. A cure is found and distributed in the twilight hours of Surna. Despite the cure, hundreds are dead.
In response to the plague afflicting Surna, Occitan closes its borders, revealing a great iron wall separating itself from Talibar.
In what could be the defining act of the century, the Shar's Army of Darkness and their Abesquillian allies sack the capital city of Talibar, Imperia. Despite the mustered defenses of the entire empire, including the home guard, the Crepidonis, the Royal Battlemage Academy, and the First Royal Cohort, Imperia is lost within the day. Tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers are butchered in the first day, their souls added to the growing monstrosity within the Black Tower, the soon-born Avatar of Shar. Legionary High Command is slaughtered while the High Council barely escapes with their lives. Emperor Lucius Verus Maylarn is assassinated by Marius Shire in an act of vengeance before he can escape, his reign coming to an end in the way he always feared. Imperia is rendered uninhabitable by a cloud of advancing toxins and numerous plagues, which cleanse the city of all life, their souls joining the rest in the Avatar's gaping maw.
The Council escapes to Cramiche, a veritable fortress of a city, where they attempt to manage this crisis.
Immediately following the fall of Imperia, a Compage is mobilized in an attempt to retake Imperia. The Compage, consisting of nearly 112,000 combatants, engages Shar's army just east of Imperia. The Legion suffers a devastating loss, with nearly the entire Compage slaughtered by the Army of Darkness.
The all-consuming army sweeps across the southeast, leaving near-total destruction in it's wake. The despairing legion attempts several times to muster a defense against the onslaught, with each a resolute failure. The Legion loses hundreds to death or desertion by the day. Finally, the Council orders the western Legions to abandon the southeast, instructing them to take a defensive formation around the city of Emeritus.
In the north, upwards of a hundred towns are stripped entirely clean of life by the insectoid beings known as 'Abesquilians', to be used as fuel for the creation of more Abesquilian Warriors.
The Abesquilians storm Surna a number of times, while it constructs expansive tunnels beneath the city. Hundreds of people are kidnapped by the insects, despite extensive rescue efforts and defenses.
Zayl Rathman organizes an operation with the help of the Council. In a dangerous gambit, a small team infiltrates an Abesquilian hive to the east of Exemplar. With the use of specially enchanted stones, Zayl and a team of skilled mages manages to wrest control of nearly 300,000+ Abesquilians, placed under the control of the Empire.
Due to Rathman's efforts, the Abesquillian threat to the west is neutralized, for the time being. They mostly disappear from the war against Talibar, though it is believed they continue to exist in undiscovered hives around the world.
The Council pulls thousands of troops from the east in an attempt to retake the southeast. With the Empire in such a chaotic and decentralized state, however, efforts are delayed significantly. By the time they mobilize, much of the southeast is entirely lost. They engage the enemy where they can, sustaining heavy losses. They are soon supplemented by part of the Abesquilian Horde.
Expanding from the mysterious Black Tower is a wave of corruption, consuming all life in it's darkness. The Great Forest turns into the Black Forest.
From unknown causes, Marius Shire grows seriously ill. He is later slain by minions of Shar.
On his deathbed, Marius Shire names Zayl Rathman his successor. Gifted an artifact known as the Runed Necklace, he becomes the next Grandmaster of the Vindicators.
In a desperate attempt to stop the completion of the Avatar of Shar, Alyssa Munroe departs for the Black Tower. She is soon followed by a small but supremely skilled group of adventurers. Wielding the Ardent Blade, Munroe cuts down the Avatar in single combat, in it's home deep within the tower. With the avatar slain, the Black Tower tears itself apart, the forest corruption melts away, and her dark army is shattered.
The destruction left in Shar's wake is incomprehensible. Civilization in the west borders on complete collapse. While some still hope for Imperial Aid, Imperial Authority has completely crumbled. Common banditry and dangerous monsters reign supreme, making trade and travel a dangerous affair. A menagerie of deadly diseases spreads among the populace, left behind by Shar's Reavers. Local authorities are left to deal with their own problems as best they can; with the collapse of Imperial Power, civilization has regressed to a point where the only authority you can rely on are the walls of your own city. Many cities restrict all travel to and from the city.
The southeastern Heartland has been completely destroyed. Imperia remains a cauldron of toxic death, a foreboding ruin that afflicts any who come near. Thousands are left adrift and homeless, becoming refugees that scour the land for sanctuary. Many cities deny them entry, fearing the spread of the plague and civil disorder; most turn into violent struggles. Desperate men turn to savagery, killing for a scrap of apple. Many attempt to flee the land. Hundreds rush Occitan's Iron Wall, only to be cut down by flame and steel. Those that flee south fare better, but often die from exposure.
The north fares little better. The Great Forest, once a source of bounty and splendor for the entire region, lays lifeless. Through a combination of plague, violence, civil unrest, starvation, and suicide, the population of Surna has nearly been halved. The entire northern region has almost been rendered lifeless, with the few remaining farms and villages emptying quickly for the safety of the cities.
Winter
The Aftermath of Shar's Invasion dredges on. Denied refuge at almost every turn, many refuges from the south freeze to death in the winter.
Emerging from a forest Sanctuary, a previously unknown tribe of Wild Elves, or Tymafar, makes their way to the Great Forest region. There they use powerful nature magics to bring life to the dead region. The forest bustles with life once more.
Bryan Shire, son of the Vindicator Marius Shire, arrives in Surna, fleeing the wrath of the Archfiend Ossus.
Following closely behind, Ossus comes to Surna in mortal form. Masquerading as a master in the school of Divination, he places a warrant for Bryan's arrest.
Appearing to a number of individuals, Ossus begins a manipulative game with the residents of Surna. Striking up a deal with local alchemist William Warthrop, he awards Warthrop with a sample of an extremely rare plant dubbed the Thes'Pung in return for a seemingly innocuous task; the use of a specific amulet on Bryan Shire, should he appear.
The Harrowing of Surna Begins.
Following a confrontation between Bryan Shire and the Surnan Guard, an Arcane Tempest of unknown origin manifests outside the city. The city explodes into panic, people abandoning their homes and fleeing into the forest; many never return. The meager remnants of the Guard conducts an evacuation to the nearby town of Luca. Upon arrival the town is completely abandoned, an oddity given Luca was one of the few towns that braved the War unscathed. As the Guard and the evacuated townsfolk searched Luca, they were confronted by a demon-servant of Ossus, who declared that the Archfiend had sentenced the entire city to death. Following a battle with the Guard, however, the demon was slain. Returning to the city, the Guard discovers that the Arcane Tempest apparently had no effect. They evacuees repopulate the city. This event marks the start of the Harrowing of Surna.
Following the Arcane Tempest, Ossus tracks down Bryan and murders him near a lumber-mill outside of town. The last of the Shires, a bloodline that has lasted for hundreds of years and helped shape the world, comes to an ignominious end.
Over the course of the next few weeks Ossus torments the populace of Surna, murdering seemingly at random and wrecking havoc.
In an attempt to end his growing threat to the people of Surna, Zayl Rathman and his former enemy, the Vitualamen(creations of the Vitamantia) named Change, confront Ossus in the dock's district of Surna. Interrupting a ritual of unknown power being directed on the Keep, they engage the Archfiend in combat. Unfortunately, however, they misjudged his extensive power and were defeated handily. Rathman barely escapes with his life, but not before losing the Runed Necklace to Ossus. Using the power of the Necklace, he unleashes a strange, parasitic, magically sensitive biomass dubbed 'The Blight' upon Surna, infecting it's lake. Ossus then disappears from Surna for several weeks, while his Blight poisons the land.
While investigating rumors of Necromancy on one of the islands in the Surnan Lake, a group of Guardsmen including Commander Thorn Razel discover an undead guardian enslaved by Ossus. With the help of Zayl Rathman, they pass the trial set by the guardian and gain access to a small cache left by Ossus. Within this cache is an artifact described as one of three keys needed to open Ossus' 'Vault', where something very valuable to Ossus lies.
The second key is discovered and the trial attempted by group of Guardsmen including John Udgrad and a Witcher named Calneche Veremoth. Though they suffer heavily causalities and temporarily lose the Key, the best the Trial of Combat and secure the Second Key.
Pilgrimaging to the site of the Black Tower, the Concordic Knights and their leader, Faeru Kelvas, arrive in Surna. They provide aid to the beleaguered populace, and vow to remain until Ossus' threat has been dealt with.
While the heroes of Surna search for his keys, Ossus increases his power. Using the divine link of the Necklace to Surge, he tears a piece of the Surge from the Arbiter and infests it with the Blight. Warping the piece of Surge, he crafts his own weave of magic centering around the Blight, serving as an Antithesis to the Surge.
Deducing the location of the Third Key, and despite warnings from an incorporeal manifestation of Marius Shire, Rathman and a group of adventurers and guards including Thorn Razel, John Udgrad, a Blessed Vampire named Marcus, and an Alchemist named William Warthrop, venture out to an isolated cave in the Surnan Forest; the very same cave from which Ossus retrieved the Thes'Pung. However, instead of a guardian they encounter Ossus himself. In the fight that follows, the Blessed Vampire Marcus was slain, while the rest of the adventurers are severely injured. On the verge of defeat, an act of Hubris saves their life. Gloating in his victory, Ossus mockingly returns the Runed Necklace, only to be incapacitated by the summoned incorporeal form of Marius Shire. The heroes of Surna successfully retrieve the Third Key.
With the three keys, a group of adventurers conduct a ritual uniting the keys. After fending off a powerful, vampiric servant of Ossus', they finally open his Vault. There they learn the truth behind Ossus and the Blight. Ending the suffering of an ancient dragon and once-companion of Ossus, whom the Blight had been feeding on, they end the Blight of Surna.
Despite the end of the Blight in Surna, Ossus has already accomplished his goals. Binding the newly made Blight-Weave to his soul and merging the To'Mire mask of ancient deity Ornulus, God of Blood and Blood-Pacts, Ossus ascends to the level of deity. He then vanishes, going into seclusion deep in The Wastes.

590
The 200 Year Skip Begins.