The Great Flood of Vranvica Valley

Vranvica's Valley resides deep in the heart of the kingdom of Nimtra in the Bleakmor, an ancient and foreboding realm with its whispering, shadowed forests that sit along the banks of the Czornovoda River. Named for the land's benevolent and wrathful spirit, Vranvica, the guardian of hills and men. The valley was a region of eerie beauty, dim meadows, and fertile fields.

The Prosperity of Vranvica Valley

Vranviceans inhabited the valley of Vranvica and its main town, Ostrolisz, for ages. They had been living in symbiosis with the surrounding nature and honoring the old spirits by performing sacred rites. Never was there a valley more prosperous; its granaries were full to bursting, and the people of every township were renowned across all lands for their crafts.
But in Year 6 MD, King Soren I had declared magic illegal in the kingdom of Nimtra, and old rites were forgotten with time. Things started to change.

The Ominous Signs

At the start of 115 MD, during a spring, there were already several forewarning signs. This winter was the harshest one yet, with snowfall accumulating even higher in record low temperatures. Spring came, and the snow melted quickly—softly falling rain turned into a mass of devastating rains. The elders of the valley sensed that a great doom was drawing near. Their message had been to prepare for the worst, but they never could have imagined the magnitude of what was to come.

The Great Flood of Vranvica Valley

On it came, darker and blacker than before; then, with the roar of thunder, the very heavens were rent asunder, and a sudden blinding lightning glare showed above the valley. The Czornovoda River was swollen from rain and melting snow as it cascaded down the hillsides of the forest that surrounded Ostrolisz. The flood of Vranvica had begun. The waters of the flood rushed over valley, turning gentle streams into churning rivers. The fields were flooded, the houses were swept away, and even ancient trees no longer had a hold in a ground moved by so much water.
People were battling furiously to keep the places where they lived and worked. They made makeshift barricades and fled to higher ground. Their efforts had not been enough to undo the floods devastation. A legend says that when the floodwaters rose, so did Vranvica herself, and then she wept for her beloved valley, cursing it in the end, allowing many of her people to be swept away beneath a torrent as dark as anger.

Aftermath

Vranvica Valley did not resemble what it had been when the waters withdrew at last. Both mud and debris now covered the fertile fields, while many houses and buildings were totally damaged. The vast majority fell under the flood of Vranvica. Whole families, homes and lives shattered beyond repair. Some Vranviceans abandoned Vranvica Valley in pursuit of a new home. A number of them stayed behind, resolute in an attempt to rebuild their land. As long as they lived a pious life and made endless sacrifices, then surely Vranvica would listen. These stoic people slaved to rebuild their lives, refill the fields with new crops, and make better flood defences.
But they fought unrelenting battles. Vranvica was not easily appeased. Additional floods with innumerable harsh consequences rolled through in the next few decades. Once and again, the black waters roared over, eating away at all before them.

Manifestation

The flood of Vranvica started with the sky over the valley blackening. Dark storm clouds built up in the sky, leaving that twilight with every moment of light. The sky lightened up with a fork of lightning that burned away the darkness for just an instant, showing the world in terrible clarity. The black waters of the Czornovoda River rose, carrying mud.
The phantom whispers and ghosts are commonly seen during the flood, but some deny these as superstition. They are thought to be the ghosts of past flood victims or ancient protectors of the valley.

Localization

The worst consequences of the flood were visible in Vranvica Valley central area, where Ostrolisz was located. This is considered the heart of Vranvica's dominion, where her presence and fury are most felt.

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