Approximately 300 years ago, Zaxor was a lush and prosperous nation, rivers and streamlets nourishing small settlements that were filled with an abundance of fountains and ponds, clusters of trees and hanging gardens. People were having a good life, and they only needed to put in a small amount of effort in order to maintain their quality of living. They took advantage of the amount of free time by beginning to investigate the local flora and animals and documenting their discoveries in as much detail as possible. Soon after, they broadened the scope of their research to encompass a variety of issues and came to the realisation that they might harness the mystical powers supplied by the soil under their feet by fashioning and utilising rune stones.
But their desire to learn every little details was so powerful that they quickly emptied the energy of the earth, and even with enough water at their disposal, they were unable to produce any more sustenance for themselves. The countless rune stones carried on their process of drawing power from wherever they could find it. First the children and then the elderly lied, and in the end there was no one left. Everyone and everything in Zaxor died, except beings that did not require nourishment and could withstand the power drain. Finally, about a hundred years ago, the former capital Zaxi and the rest of the region have both fallen into disrepair to the point that they were essentially uninhabitable.
Geography
Plot Hooks
Is this the world we created…? - The party can try to restore Zaxor. For this undertaking they need to visit the Library of Siklios in Zaxor after getting the protection mentioned above. The library contains hints about what happened as well as some thoughts about how to reverse the process (see Library article).
Great article! I love that you've included plot hooks, bravo :)
Thanks :) I try to add a lot of plot hooks everywhere.