In the beginning of all things within the realm of what would be the plane that houses cairne, there was an anomaly of pure chaotic stillness, like an unmoving torrent of potential energy seething within existence. This plane of existence is known only to the most ancient of celestial creatures and remembered by even fewer.
Eons passed and the life that now perpetuated across Cairne began to take root and grow, each varied nuance becoming something different.
From among the remnants of Vrokhanna that remained, great creatures emerged, long and serpentine and containing splinters of divine power and purpose tempered with the chaos left in the wake of the goddess's destruction. They were drawn to the regions of elemental power that ran through the newly created the world, finding some strange form of confort and sustenance there. Seeing the potential in these creatures, the children of Vrokhanna bestowed upon the dragons dominion over the elemental properties of the world, granting them authority over the raging fires, the churning oceans, the towering mountains, and the whispering winds. In return, the dragons pledged to safeguard the balance of nature, ensuring that the elements remained in harmony.
From a tiny scrap of the Antecedent Mother of All, Vrokhanna, life springs forth of its own volition. The first people of the world of Cairne step forward upon a small remote island and begin to grow and evolve rapidly.
In an act of sheer determined will and sacrifice, Zevrhan molds the dwarves and gnomes upon his forge, creating a species of life and culture that would help shape Cairne and further the evolution of life itself through acts of ingenious creation and superior craftsmanship.
Pleased with his creation deep below the surface of Cairne, Zevrhan grants his favored people the gift of the forge, granting them the skill and endurance to maintain and work with stone and metal.
Zevrhan's second creations, the gnomes, while smaller and less tenacious than their dwarven kin, were quick of wit and deft of hand, and he saw in them their potential for the more delicate and precise crafts. To them he gifted the hammer, and the skill to shape gems and metals into fine works of art.
As their differences come to bear and various small conflicts between the Sahahimu People begin to wear upon them, the varied spirits of the people separate and form individual tribes in order to preserve and solidify the ways and traditions each believes to be the proper way forward for their people.
Now armed with their new skill and ability, and bolstered by their patriarchal patron deity, the dwarves and gnomes begin the long process of shaping their granted domain, which they named Underhome.
The goddess Shah, inspired by the living world all around her, begins to dance, allowing her power and essence to pour forth in a pure act of creation, love, and desire. Her efforts call into being the spirit tree, and begins the genesis of the Elven species.
Gifted a vision of what her people could be, the demure and humble goddess Sinufae sacrifices her sight to bring about the dream of her creation, birthing a new species into the world in an effort to radiate joy and wonder through selflessness and love.
After some time of trial and error, and more than a few small skirmishes, the Island of Sanctuary settles into a more static rhythm in which the relations between the tribes find a form of peaceful synchronicity. As this becomes apparent, the idea of forming a union of the tribes to hold council and share knowledge is born and accepted.
Keeping with her vision and purpose for the future of her chose people, Sinufae grants the halflings the gift of the healing arts.
Much to the surprise of even Shah herself, the Spirit Tree, heavy laden with the unique fruit brought about by her tears, reaches full maturity, and from that fruit, the first elves emerge.
Following the fruition of the Elves' generation by the Spirit Tree, the Halflings, now seen as steadfast allies, are welcomed into Shah's Grove as treasured allies and friends, a less than formal pact celebrated between the two budding cultures by feasting, dance, and song.
In the earliest epochs of elven lore, amidst a world young and brimming with the essence of creation, a figure emerged whose compassion and valor captured the gaze of the divine. This maiden, named Lyrindel, epitomized mercy and kindness, her spirit untainted and pure. From the very dawn of elven existence, she stood out among her kin for her selfless acts and unwavering dedication to aiding those in need.
In the years that followed the Aurorae Alliance, the elves encouraged and assisted the halflings in founding and building their first true home, the village of Fingal's Rise.
As the newborn elves begin to stabilize and find some direction, one rises above the rest and begins to direct their efforts with seeming ease and grace. As the need becomes more present, by mutual consent the elves choose her to become the first of the royal line.
By far, one of the greatest accomplishments of the Dwarves, the Domes of the Shining Eyes are a series of crystalline domes dotted across the ocean floor, built from the bedrock below and crafted with a mixture of brilliant engineering and powerful magic.
The rising popularity of the Cult of Bodi in the Carrig River Valley Civilization presented a direct threat to its leadership, and when word spread of an incoming invasion, the "Bodist problem" had to be taken care of once and for all, forcing its adherents to flee to safety.
In ages long past, the fae offered the humans living on the Isles of Seanachai a deal, promising musical talent beyond mortal limits. Opinions on whether they should accept their offer were divided, and the resulting split forever altered the people who lived there.
As the confederation solidifies and the the overall way of life becomes on of a far more unified while divided way of life, the neutral point where the confederation has agreed to meet grows with them. Plans are made and construction begins of a megalithic testament to their people, the origin, and their way of life.
In the annals of antiquity, the founding and construction of An Chéad Solas, the illustrious capital city of the Seanachaisian people, stands as a testament to the convergence of extraordinary talent, boundless creativity, and the mystical forces that shaped their destiny.
The completion of the pyramid further cements the unity of the tribal confederation, giving them a common focal point of both pride and heritage. The moots begin to be called with increasing regularity, and the gatherings the ensue at the base of the pyramid allow for a transfer of ideals, technology, social issues, and further bridges the divide between the tribes, allowing them to find a common ground from which they can work from.
An unexpected celestial event darkens the skies of Cairne and blots out the sun for a time, leading to mass panic and speculation of terrible portents and the possible end of the world. Within this turbulent occasion, far off in the God's Teeth Mountains, a new life coalesces into being, a dragon made of darkness and shadow. This creature, manifested through powers outside of the existing divinity spawns a great deal of speculative concern among the gods, but as is the way of things since the great Covenant Of Nithralyx, the children of Vrokhana held to their trust in the purpose granted to the dragons, and the dragon, dubbed Voltaiare by his kin, came into being and gained dominion over the balance of darkness to light.
Belarian, once a small farming settlement that quickly grew into a hub of trade, culture, religion, and information, breaks from its meager boundaries to become hailed as the first seat of power within the human empire. While a series of chieftains and trade lords claimed dominion over the area at various times, no agreed upon ruler overall was ever named until Pendræd Armuun rose up in popularity, military tact, and sheer political prowess, claiming it as his first seat of power before moving on to found Armuun.
Following the establishment of the Belarian trade routes and markets, many humans became enamored with the concept of expansion and the accumulation of wealth and resources. While most of these were splinter factions headed by powerful merchants and independent warlords, due to its location and availability of economic outlets for goods and manpower, most of these discoveries in one form or another, always came back to Belarian. As a sense of unity as a singular culture slowly coalesced, much of this motivation soon turned to more academic pursuits of exploration and discovery, as unknown forms of life and minerals would not only potentially make fortunes, but could elevate one's status far beyond what it once was, depending on the impact their discovery made. It was in this pursuit that a small band of explorers set out north into the icy lands yet unmapped and unclaimed in search of fame and fortune.
The growing human Bechtlarite empire, more expansive and ambitious than the other cultures of Cairne, quickly pushes south across the region, claiming the majority of the western hemisphere with settlements and towns establishing and expanding with surprising rapidity. The largest settlement, having become a economic hub for trade and a religious seat of power is named capitol of the empire, and named Armuun after the sitting potentate at the time, Pendræd Armuun, who not only set the stage for the empire to become the juggernaut of socio-economic proportions that it would one day be, but also set into motion a great deal of the cultural and judiciary principals that are upheld into current times.
With the dwarven kingdom of Underhome stable and beginning to amass vast material wealth and a growing population, they began to push their boundaries further and further inland, hollowing out large swaths of terrain, mining the resources quickly, and encountering other forms of life, much to their own surprise. Having been an isolated society, the other cultures of Cairne seemed alien at first, leading to rising tensions.
As the expansion of the dwarven kingdom of Underhome moved southward, finally giving way to the Gauldowhynna resistance, and agreement was reached that, while the elves had no intention of relinquishing their claim to land above or below the surface, there was no ill will once the dwarves agreed to move on. To further punctuate this, under the guidance of Supreme Grandmaster of Summer, Shah's Generosity, The Gift of Plenty, Eldarian and with the Queen's blessing, an envoy of diplomats and artisans were sent into the heart of Underhome to craft an embassy through which the two cultures might learn from one another, and further the goals of both. Elven construction, which utilized high magics and their innate ability to manipulate nature, took little time at all to raise the structure and bring the gardens there into full bloom, creating a marvel that captured the attention and imagination of the Underhome citizenry, and quickly became, not only a seat of trade and information exchange, but also a wonder beneath the surface of Cairne as the flora and fauna native there came under the sway of elven magic.
With his position in the global economic and political arena quickly becoming secure, Daimus I, in conjunction with a panel of advisors and some of the brightest minds in the empire, implements the Eugenics Enhancement Initiative in order to create a fighting force to reinforce the empire's position in the world, but to further push his own agenda.
Through a series of shrewd negotiations, market manipulations, and sheer Charisma, the first ruler of the Becht to institute the title of Sovereign, Daimus the I, amassed an ungodly amount of power and wealth for the Becht people.
With their empire now a sprawling juggernaut of economic growth and prosperity, the Bechtlarite Empire, under the rule of Sovereign Sigmar Dietrich Daimus I begins construction on the Palace of Glass in the new capital city of Armuun. Drawing upon the Empire's vast resources and talented engineers and craftsmen, the Sovereign calls for a palace to house the seat of power and office of his position that reflects the spirit of his people. Something monumental and grand that would encompass the Becht Empire for countless generations to come, that would showcase the ingenuity of their people, that talent and wealth they had built, and of course, their devotion to their god, Goyne. Many designs were brought before him, and many were turned away until finally, after much debate, the final diagrams were presenting offering a speculative interpretation of a towering megalith made of steel and brass, but accentuated with never before seen amounts of glass, giving it a gleaming appearance in the sun and allowing it to glow with its own internal lights by night like a beacon of human ingenuity and power that would cast it's shimmering brightness across the capital city.
As tensions finally came to a head, the stand off at the border of the Bechtlarite Empire finally reached its breaking point as the dwarves, who saw themselves as superior to their humans that stood in their way, push forward into Becht lands at the order of their king, stirring the Becht Empire's elite Hiversteadian forces into action and beginning a war that would claim thousands of lives on both sides of the conflict.
As the war of stone and steel between the dwarves and the Becht Empire reached a critical juncture, the eyes of both realms turned to a small overlook that commanded a view of the collapsed tunnels that had effectively isolated the dwarven forces. Here, upon this rugged precipice that bore witness to the ravages of conflict, the fateful meeting between King Braun Grundhome and the Bechtlarite Sovereign, Daimius I, took place, securing a peace between the two empires that would be lasting and mutually beneficial.
During the zenith of the Bechtlarite Empire's reign, a dark shadow loomed over its grandeur, the Scarlet Sickness. This devastating plague emerged as a harrowing chapter, claiming thousands of lives and leaving an enduring mark on the empire's legacy.
After a lifetime of dedicated and applauded stewardship for the burgeoning human empire of Becht, Sovereign Daimius I passed away in his sleep quietly. Almost immediately, the heir is prepared and pushed forward into his new role as Sovereign, but the fallen leader is mourned for several weeks by the population of the empire, who revered him for elevating the human influence into a global superpower.
With their home and culture firmly rooted and growing, the Seanachaisians decide to take their natural gifts to a new level by gathering the greatest and brightest talents of their people, and training them within a conservatory dedicated to pushing the very boundaries of ability and, in some cases even reality. It was here that Seanachaisian power truly began to manifest and show itself to be one of the worlds most potent art forms, both physical and metaphysical. The initial structure, a marvel the world over was built to house a limited number of students and staff, but built to be entirely self sufficient, and able to keep the secrets of the art forms taught and practiced within. Dóchas Caillte, a blend of artistic expression and practical design quickly became a jewel in the crown of the Seanachaisian Empire.
In the years leading up to the Blight, many attempts were made to pressure the Seanachaisian Royal family into submitting to the demands of the Bechtlarite Sovereign, to forego their independent reign and join the global coalition under Becht direction. Undaunted and unmoved by these attempts, the Becht Empire uses its superior naval assets to blockade all the major trade routes in and out of the Island nation, cutting them off from trade and travel alike.
From an unknown point of origin, a strange celestial occurrence streaks across the night skies of Cairne, coming down far over the Undullain Ocean where it disappears. Unbeknownst to the realms of Cairne, this marks the arrival of a never before seen race of elves from beyond the boundaries of the world, the Syllandyha .
Though separated by the realms beyond the borders of the world, the meeting of these two lines of elves is cause for great celebration. The Queen and her entourage attending the festivities in person to meet and mingle with the ambassadors of the Syllandhya.
By the time of Daimus III, the Bechtlarite Empire had grown exponentially, and the reach of the human empire was almost limitless, having set up embassies, trade, and military outposts in every kingdom and every corner of the world, even having traded for a large stake in the dwarven mineral trade from their undersea operations. A deep conspiratal order working together that represented The College of the Arcane Arts, the Divine Order of the Seven Wonders, and the Elk Riders, pushed the already struggling mental state of the Sovereign to a dangerous place in an attempt to further their own agendas for gain. The end result was the Blight, and nearly the end of all things. The Blight itself was a gargantuan undertaking, blending magic both arcane and divine by pooling the abilities and hundreds of mages and nearly two thousand priests. The combined energy pool summoned and appropriated was unleashed upon a single point to a single purpose, to obliterate the only remaining thing standing in the way of the Sovereign.
As the Blight is called down, the Syllandyha , caught unaware and unprepared as the enjoyed the hospitality of the Queen, Sharvisal Gwhynndahris , scramble to make it back across the thousand miles to their ship aboard a strange mechanical skiff capable of incredible speeds, but it is all for naught and they find themselves forsaken by their people and left behind.
Upon seeing what he had done, the last of the House of Daimus, Daimus III, threw down his crown and mantle and stepped into the Blight, allowing the darkness there to take him. He could not live with what he had done. The Sovereign had no heir and the line was broken with his death.
The Black Night is only spoken of in whispers by the Volrishtad. The night the Blight was released upon Cairn, these nomadic people were near the edge of the blast radius that followed. With no warning the stars they once used as guides were obliterated from the sky by an unnatural darkness and on the horizon, their scouts saw the wave of destruction pushing toward them. Caravans and horse pushed by terror and desperation, the People of Vol fled the darkness as fast as they could, remaining at the edge of the enveloping horrors that pursued them.
Immediately following the Blight, the gods of Cairne, the Gods of the Seven Wonders, departed their creation in shame and despair.
In desperation, mortally wounded and lost within the darkness of the Blight that was quickly expanding along the inner coast lines of Cairne, the fallen shadow dragon, Voltaire, blindly stumbles across the remains of the goddess, Volri in the Void. Blinded by rage and pain as his body was being slowly ripped apart by the negative energies there, he lashed out and devoured the remains. The imbued flesh of the goddess, melded with his own and he was changed. The divine essence intertwined with the spiritual essence of the shadow dragon and the divine remnants of power left in the goddesses body, twisting the creature into a vastly powerful entity, no longer any one of the things that made it, but now inexorably tied to the Void itself, able to move through it and control the things that spawned there with ease and terrible efficency. The creature known as, Synchordia Demonda was born from that unholy joining, and the Blighted regions of the world gained a new and malevolent master.
Beneath the surface of Cairne lay a vast and sprawling empire crafted over centuries by the Dwarves. As the raw and untamed energies of the blight came crashing down upon the planet, the underside of its lands was possibly the hardest hit. Without the sun to tame them, the creatures from that dark place were nearly free to roam and spread unchecked save for one glimmer of burning hope...the dwarves themselves.
Two years after the beginning of the War of Human Attrition, one of the bloodiest battles of the entire war consumed the City of Black Vale, once renowned for its industrial contributions to society. The outlying lands were dotted with numerous mines rich with coal and saltpeter among other rare metals. The entire city was blanketed with the dust of factories and refineries, leading to the name.
In the winter of the third year of the War of Human Attrition, the unusually cold and humid winter brought about by the drastic changes in the global environment led to countless deaths due to starvation and exposure.
While not much is known of the Ghost Brigade, they are believed to no longer exist. Over the course of the fourth year of the War of Human Attrition, a virtually unstoppable force of warriors clad in nondescript white armor and carrying no standard marched on every major battlefield.
With the majority of the splintered human factions already destroyed in the conflict or absorbed into other, stronger groups, the civil war begins to wind down, lacking the numbers to keep it going and, with the arrival of the Ghost Brigade set against all that remained, the continued actions of violence and conquest begin to resonate less and less with the surviving human populace, seeing the war as little more than a waste of the already dwindling life that remained.
Following the War of Human Attrition, thousands are left homeless, displaced, and scattered as factions once prevalent in the war are left decimated or absorbed into the remaining four factions that remain once the fighting ceases. Widows and orphans, sadly, make up the majority of this population, and cities throughout the once opulent Becht Empire, already strained for resources following the Blight and war, begin to close their doors to these poor and nationless people, leading to starvation and sickness. The changing climate of the planet, dropping temperatures, and lack of clean drinking water only exacerbate the issue further. Crime and lingering, post-war tensions eventually lead to violence unrest among the remaining human populations.
As the violence between the splinters of the once great Becht Empire finally began to wind down, the remaining four factions, including their smaller allies and supporters and with the urging of the other races that still remained, made a final push for peace.
In the years following the reformation of the Becht loyalists, it was decided through council that, going forward, the lands of the Becht Empire should be ruled in a more democratic fashion, in order to avoid such deception and trickery as was faced by the fallen ruler. No one person should ever have the full power of the might of the Becht Empire.
The Great Rift started almost as soon as the Culvarkt clan returned to the underground. In their absence unrest had grown, as the remaining dwarves had been nearly overrun multiple times by the shadowy threats that now ran rampant in their once great kingdom.
The Great Southern Plains were the last remaining part of the world that appeared to mostly escape from the corruption of the Blight. It was far enough away and fertile enough that the soil and vegetation remained after. An added side effect was that the panicked, forced migration of animal life mostly ended up resettling here as well. These are the lands granted by the Pact of Erindall to the Ongommu Tae people.
Inspired by the breathtaking vistas available from atop the God's Teeth Mountains, Joseph Culvarkt broke ground upon the highest peak he could see, encouraging all those that followed in his stead to take up similar endeavors.
After a decade living in the Blight, the Volrishtad began to change, with the shadows that surrounded them becoming one with their being. Their transformation progressed over decades, with each passing year giving them stronger tools and the confidence to face the dangers of the world they found themselves in.
As the dwarves above were finding their inspiration to build, the remaining Dwarves below under the command of Arguus Fouvienius reinforced their position and made a plan for a concentrated push against the darkness. Without a solid point to hold and live within and defend, their efforts were doomed to fail, and it was only a matter of time.
The Hiversteadian people, now free from the yoke of the Bechtlarite Empire, find a domain to call their own and begin to build a home and an identity for themselves.
It is believed that as Bodi left Cairne, he imbued twelve souls with the prophecy of his return, each holding a key to a specific event that would act as a tumbler in a lock.
So began the the Somnabulistic Prophecy with the following first utterance: "Look well upon the howling yaw of your world now, for it is the song of destruction and pain stuck in the throat of a whimpering giant. This cacophonous hell you have wrought with the fingers of bastard children left to dig into the flesh of their mother unchecked. Go now and fear, for within the jaws of that singing tomb shall you find the first key to your redemption."
From the ambitious beginnings of Culvarkti, the vision of the dwarves becomes realized as the Culvarkt Houses expand and form the mountain peak empire of Culvarkti.
As the Spirit Tree begins to die as a result of the inundation of Void energy, the Elves work in vain to try and save their way of life, and the very core of their existence.
In a short and horrific frame of time, the fury of the elves of Gaul Do Shah fell upon the simple folk that had been their long time allies, the Halflings leading to their ultimate extinction.
As the newly formed human nations begin to seek out and discover their individual, cultural identities, the Vertryte people begin to explore and redefine their way of life in the Eastern Wastes, the land claimed by them in the Pact of Erindall.
Sovereign Jaimus Oraulicli was chosen to fill the role of Sovereign based upon the merit he displayed following in the footsteps of his father who, following the War of Human, sacrificed a sizable portion of his family's wealth and his own safety and security in order to care for the Becht people. While he remained unenthused about the prospect of the position, ever a man of duty he accepted and reignited the flame of Becht nationalism.
As the Ventryte people begin to settle into their way of life, it is decided that their people need a central location from which to expand, allowing the elderly, the sick, and the Elders a safe place to live.
With the void left behind by the exodus of the gods, and the world falling quickly beneath the heel of sickness and infection, a small order of Bechtlarite scholars bands together to toe the line.
For years following the Blight, the Ephemeral Sea began to darken and expel entire hordes of dead creatures from its depths, often in varying states of decay or mutation. This led to the beginning of toxic rains and a devastating drought.
With the Ventryte people finding their unique cultural identity and settling into their new way of life, an incredible discovery is made that shakes the very foundations of their society.
The tragic life and death of Belinda Gray, the first to receive the strange mutation that causes some to be able to see and interact with the stranded spiritual entities of Cairne.
As the Order of Benevolents grew, so too did their reach and resources, allowing them to achieve tremendous leaps of knowledge and ability is relatively short time. These revolutionary methods and procedures led to the salvation of thousands of lives and created a vast and lasting impact on the global population as well.
Between the tensions that remained between the Culvarkt and the Fouvienian dwarves and the remaining tension between the human factions, Joseph Culvarkt and Victor Vhank conspire to set into motion an information gathering network with the initial intention of keeping Culvarkti safe.
The nearly forgotten Arven Islands that lie south of the Greenlands Commonage had lain untouched since the Blight fell, the toxic waterways not worth the risk to the Ongommu Tae. The rich soil there filtered a great deal of the worth part of the Blight toxins out of the water it absorbed, but retained enough to cause the entire archipelago to be rife with strange and often wonderous mutations, left to grow unchecked by humanoid interference.
As the world began to once again settle, the people of the Bechtlarite Empire begin the arduous and dangerous task of rebuilding.
After several decades spent in the darkened edge of the Blight, the Volrishtad finally broke through the curtain of black fog, emerging from their isolation into a world that had forgotten them. What they discovered tempered their excitement and filled them with anger and dismay upon learning what happened during the events of the Black Night.
Tensions rose as a small group of Seanachaisian refugees attempted to settle outside the gates of Armuun, demanding compensation for their loss. The situation turned quickly into a conflict that led to a terrible loss of life, one that would have repercussions for many years to come.
Pinned down and surrounded by a drifting herd of deathless assailants, an unlikely group of heroes held their ground against immeasurable odds and outlasted the onslaught.
Arterryx Vedikki , the primary and brilliant engineer of the landing party that was left behind uses his considerable skill and ability to begin crafting modifications for his people as a desperate attempt at the preservation of the survivors that were left behind.
Emboldened by their augmentations and uplifted by the positive and bold new direction of their course, the Syllandyha begin to dismantle their ships and use the resources recovered to begin construction of what was intended to be a semi permanent home and a protected and sterile workspace for Arterryx Vedikki and a team of engineers to begin attempting to restore a line of communication with their people.
Just a few short years following the conflict at Victory, an underground organization began to cause strife within the city of Armuun and branding their actions with various symbols and slogans that named them as, the Burnt Crows.
As the activities of the Burnt Crows gain notoriety, their ideals and movement begins to spread across the Bechtlarite Empire, bringing with it further unrest and increased paranoia from the general populace.
With the movement of the Burnt Crows spreading, and increasing curiosity about the arcane, the entrepreneurial spirit of a few unknown individuals steps forward to take advantage of this new black market for arcane and forgotten relics and goods.
Following an accident involving a structural defect in the The Palace of Glass , a large sheet feel and shattered on top of the Sovereign and the Prima Consort as they made their way through the Palace. While the young son of the Sovereign was moderately injured, he managed to escape any real harm aside from superficial injuries.
As the news begins to spread out of control, more and more daring souls begin to delve the depths of the lost and forgotten places at the edge of the Blight, raising concerns of the governing bodies of most of the global society. Despite the best efforts of both the direct intervention of some, and the more clandestine approaches of others, the number of those that dub themselves, "Arcanists", continues to climb.
With the sporadic and often costly acts of terrorism on the rise by the organization known as the Burnt Crows, a young Sovereign Jaimus Oraulicli, under the guidance of the Order of Objective Representation, founds the Bechtlarite Intelligence Bureau as a mean to counteract and defend against the grassroots threat.
Under the direction of Candor Ralech, the elite division of the military known as the Wraith Guard is implemented into its purpose. The members of this specialized group are trained in secret under the direct oversight of the Nonpareil and instructed in skills and methods that set them aside from the rest of the military forces.
The effectiveness of the Wraith Guard proves to be a powerful tool in the Bechtlarite arsenal against internal strife, thwarting many of the Burnt Crows plots and managing to capture and kill a number of insurgents. Candor Ralech, seeking to maintain public approval, repurposed a defunct coal mine as a more "humane' way of dealing with those who stand against the Empire.
Nestled along a long forgotten road, thankfully hidden away from the world, the small settlement of Coda had been a well kept secret of the Seanachaisian refugees since the fall of Victory. As things go, it was only a matter of time before it was discovered, but the Volrishtad that stumbled across them quickly became a not only much needed resource, but invaluable friends as well.
The discovery that upended the world. No one since the Blight had ascended to any form of afterlife, and the gates to the planes beyond Cairne were sealed, possibly forever.
Following the path from whence the newcomers had arrived, Syllandyha scouts discovered Sanctuary, and using their modified abilities and tools they were able to quickly locate settlements where the strange people had originated from. The Island was rich with resources, and a tempting target for both the natural bounty, and the bodies of the inhabitants as well.
As the demands for more and more modifications continue and the city he ordered built began to take on a life all its own, Arterryx Vedikki realized far too late that the modifications he intended to use as a means of salvation for his people had instead spelled their doom in the most horrible way possible.
While it is not uncommon to see many strange things in the gloom of the Eastern Wastes, the sighting of a spectral airship floating through the dark clouds above the Ventryte lands was the cause of much discussion...and it would not be the only time such a thing was seen.
Following a short lull in the fighting and the mutual agreement of a truce, both sides of the War of the Bonedancers come to terms and meet to discuss the formal need of a pact between them promising no further acts of violence between them as a matter of preservation of life and land alike. After some discussion, terms are reached and the Pact agreed upon.
Weary and frustrated by merely holding the line against the subterranean horrors that mingle with the darkness of the lost kingdom of Underhome, Low Commander Jules Argaelast and the War Council decide to make a hard push into the dark territories in an attempt to push back and reclaim much needed resources and important cultural points.
The second utterance of the Somnambulistic Prophesy brought awareness of its existence into a far more broad scope. The first occurance, having been thought to be a singular event, had been quickly covered up and forgotten, this one, however, could not be so easily ignored.
So began the second Somnambulistic Prophecy with the second utterance spoken upon the Confluence floor: "Through the weald of winding weird Beyond the stillness of the blackened sea Pour forth from that cup of desolate and wanton desire and fertilize the terroir with the spirit of the damned Draw forth, and drink deep with the Child O' this world Birthed from devastation Nurtured in solitude And matured in sorrow For they will not know the way And the path is lined with sharp stones and brambles Set to tear away the flesh And break the bones of tomorrow. Bring the Child home to meet their sibling and their sire For they are one and the same And within their line shall be the second key."
As their way of life begins to fall into routine and the recovery from the war with the Sahahimu People is put behind them, the Bonedancers begin to organize their new society, their past all but completely forgotten in the metamorphosis they have come through.
Following his accidental death following a missed communication while depositing a grain harvest in one of the many silos within the Greenlands Commonage, Francis Dashwood, much to the surprise and horror of those in attendance, disrupts his own funeral proceedings by sitting up in his coffin, in as much shock as the guests and family who witness the event.
In an effort to gain further independence from their reliance on the Ongommu Tae, the Bechtlarite Order of Objective Representation raise and push through funding for an attempt at a new type of agricultural implementation that utilizes science and technology as a means to grow crops in a protected environment.
With no actual organization or government oversight, a civil movement made of individuals began to take shape. This rag tag amalgam of individuals from all walks of life took it upon themselves to learn to live in, adapt to, and defend the Wastes. These stalwart few quickly became the subject of all manner of stories and even legends, though few who do not know their ways can separate fact from fiction.
As the world began to settle into a tenuous state of fragile balance, the advent of technology quickly filled the gaps left behind by the passing of the old world. Wonders and marvels began to fly, often literally, from the workshops and industrial centers of the Bechtlarite and Culvarkt empires, filtering down through every walk of life and into nearly every other nation on the planet.
Sovereign Jaimus Oraulcli II passes quietly in his bed of old age, having lived out the last years of his life as a hermit prone to bouts of paranoia and extreme anxiety. Having taken no Prima Consort during his reign, and leaving no heir, the fate of the title of Sovereign comes under scrutiny.
In a shocking landslide vote, Margaret Effron is voted to become the new Sovereign ruler of the Bechtlarite Empire.
While many discounted the young girl, Gildeh's accounts of a large, translucent creature who spoke into her mind without words, she held fast to the truth of what happened to her and Ethelinda in the forgotten vineyard of the mad elf queen. This changed drastically as Gildeh, many years older and at the end of her life, received an unexpected visitor upon her death bed.
Seeking to distance the entire organization of the Benevolents from what many had come to view as a direct tie to the Bechtlarite Empire, Samuel Minkur, one of the most respected and talented members of the order, backed by his own splinter group of the organization, restructures a former university lost at the edge of the Blight as an independent academy for Benevolent education, training, research, and as a care facility as well. The move was backed and funded entirely by donations from all nations, including the Becht who agreed the neutrality of their order in matters of politics was a paramount ideal to them being efficient and unbiased in their work.
The third utterance of the Somnambulistic Prophecy occured in an isolated locale before an audience of two, but the events that followed would go on to be the most well documented occurrence of this sort. This being the third such event led scholars and philosophers to look deeper and through arduous research and debate, the nature of the prophecy was discovered.
So began the third Somnambulistic Prophecy with the third utterance spoken upon the sands of the Gaul Do Shah Wastes: "Where the wound splits The ragged skin Where the bleeding feeds the sin Before the last lonely and shattered heart Of the people who are not there There shall be forged the chains of freedom Hope is but a tattered dream And the dream is but a tattered hope But in chaos lies a path The way out Leads within And the scarred hands of yesterday Shall present the key that has no lock To the one that shall illuminate the future And shine the light of knowing Upon the keyhole."
With the reach of their Empire growing, and the added resources of their Culvarkt allies, the Bechtlarite intellectual machine begins to unravel numerous mysteries. While most of these are welcome additions to everyday life and safety, some remain precariously on the edge of moral justification.
Mauve Einstrahum, the daughter of a well respected educator and inventor, Thomas Einstrahum, was a quiet girl throughout most of her life. While she showed a great deal of promise and was believed to on the path to follow in her father's footsteps, she harbored a dangerous secret, one that would change and evolve her, slowly granting her the power and ability to manipulate the minds of those around her in ways that led to the deaths of many of her countrymen and her father as well.
Following a violent and destructive incursion by a heretical group of Volrishtad under the leadership of Sybell Vithmokai, a deadly and virulent plague is released upon the Blighted Lands that quickly spreads, becoming the worst epidemic in the history of Cairne.
With no one noticing the initial infection moving beyond the borders of the Commune, the infected Restless Dead were left to spread the Breathless Plague unhindered for weeks until it was finally noticed for what it was. By this time, the number of infected had grown exponentially and the damage had been done.
The death of former headmaster, Airtam Morenthall under suspicious circumstances, led to the theft and publication of her private journals, detailing a great many illicit and horrifying implications under the name of the Empire. The Burnt Crows, claiming not only responsibility for her death but the publication of the journals as well, releases a statement claiming to have more damning evidence and threatens to release it to the public if their demands for restitution for the Seanachaisian people are not met. The Wraith Guard are mobilized by the Bechtlarite Intelligence Bureau in a focused attempt to stop them.
After a long reign, the beloved Sovereign, Margaret Effron passes quietly in her home following a lifetime of dedicated efforts to raise the Empire of the Becht back into the light, leaving her son Zigmund as her sole heir.
Following the death of his mother, Zigmund, still visibly distraught, is quickly brought to power with his wife, Eleanor at his side. While he has remained largely out of the public eye during his life, the Becht people are hopeful that he will follow in the footsteps of his mother.
Following the political turmoil caused by the publication of the Airtam journals, the Bechtlarite Empire, in a show of solidarity with the other races of the world, begin a series of joint exploratory expeditions out over the Void in an attempt to further study and understand the phenomenon. While the endeavor had a rocky start, it was hailed as a very positive and progressive move in the right direction. Unfortunately, what those studies found was a horrifying discovery. The Blight was slowly devouring the land it infected, and it was growing.
Following a skirmish that left over two dozen dead, the now disparate dwarven factions found themselves at extreme odds and on the brink of all out war following a territorial dispute concerning the resources in the God's Teeth Mountains. The Hiversteadian Commander Chief, seeing the threat this posed to his people and their way of life, stepped in and demanded a diplomatic solution under the threat of him mobilizing his own troops against either faction should they fail to stand down.
Following the realization that the Void is not only growing, but slowly eroding the world around it, alternative means of survival began to be explored. While many avenues were considered, the most viable seemed to be finding a way to settle elsewhere, despite the dangers that exist beyond the borders of Cairne itself, and the unknown. Despite it being a blind shot in the dark, the lead researcher on the project, Doctor Ephram Nadus is confident that once he can manage to create a technologically based means of moving from one place to the other, anything within the realm is an open possibility. His first targeted attempt as a proof of concept is to open the way for a small expedition to land on and explore the Mother's Head, the death's head visage of the Antecedent Mother of All that orbits Cairne like a macabre moon.
A Hiversteadian expeditionary team was sent out in a joint venture between themselves and the Ventrytes. Using a specialized design the Hiversteadian engineers along with the Ventryte craftspeople created a large but lightweight ship design that could carry seven people and their equipment, but could be carried overland easily as well. The goal was to attempt to find another source of natural resources to help both their cultures increase their chances of survival.
Though no violence had occurred between them, the Sahahimu Peoples bring the captive expeditionary group ashore and take their weapons and disable their ships, effectively stranding them there. The captives are brought before the council to decide their fate where a heartfelt plea from the leaders of the expedition catches the Sahahimu off guard.
The seven day journey to return to the mainland passes without issue, and after a long time away from home, the expeditionary force returns with several unexpected newcomers to the Eastern Wastes.
The fourth utterance of the Somnambulistic Prophecy occured in a small tavern in the nearly forgotten village of Carrig's Cross before a gathering of random strangers, much to their shock and awe. This utterance began a journey that spanned nearly the entirely of the nations of Cairne and touched many lives, furthering the mystique and significance of the prophecy itself in the eyes of the world.
So began the fourth Somnambulistic Prophecy with the fourth utterance spoken on the weathered floor of the Bare Shelf Tavern before a gathered group of wayward strangers: "Beneath the gaze of the mother’s eye Lidless and burning from beyond the black Come dancing you children of a wistful time Tempered truths fly from hidden fingers And voices from another time Speak volumes through the mouths of you Find the crease beyond the wall Name the Doorman resting there And in so doing, gain the key."
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