The Fall
The Fall of the Arcanists, commonly referred to as 'the Fall', was a paranormal phenomenon that caused most in the world to lose their Arcane abilities. The exact nature and cause of the Fall is disputed by many historians. The Fall marks the beginning of the New Era.
Summary
Not much is known about the time before the Fall. It was a time where each and every creature, tiny or tall, clever or naive, could use the Arcane. In fact, the magical arts were used so freely and abundantly that daily life seemed to revolve around it. One could not cross the street without witnessing a spell, jinx, or incantation. The arcane abilities of those before the fall were unfathomable more advanced than those of the most competent arcanists of today. But for the greatest of the great, it was never enough.
It was this talent and ambition that brought together the biggest names in the Arcane; the council of Rhironin. Together, they sought to attain what none before them could ever dream of. The line between the possible and impossible was mere semantics to these arch arcanists. Famous were they for their astounding deeds, and even more infamous were they for their indifference to ethical concerns. By pushing their limitations, time after time, their sights were eventually set upon that which none should have ever tried.
On that fateful day, when the sun stood at its highest, the council of Rhironin came together as they had hundreds of times before. Unbeknownst to them, this would be the last time they would ever meet. None know exactly what they aimed to do, but the consequences of their plan are known by all. The earth shook, from the east to the west, and from the north to the south. The sky burned bright, as though a great fire had consumed the heavens. As soon as the rumbling stopped, darkness covered the lands. Candles and hearths were extinguished and the sun seized to shine; the light was nowhere to be found.
People panicked, desperate to bring light back into the world. Initially, they tried using the arcane, just as they were used to, but it did not work. Then they tried manual means: lamps, matches, firewood; all futile attempts. The world lived in true darkness that day.
The next morning, the sun rose again and the light had returned. As the people awoke from their slumber, their nightmares resumed: none were able to use the arcane. Without it, they felt powerless, hopeless, and unable to work or live their basic lives. Anarchy ensued; looting, raping, and pillaging spread through the cities and villages. Meanwhile, the great arcanists of the council of Rhironin were nowhere to be found. Without their abilities or a way to restore them, the ancient societies, deeply rooted in the arcane, slowly collapsed.
The rising of the sun marked the start of a new era: the era after the Fall.
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