The Great Drought

WIP Summer Camp - 2023

Almost two hundred years ago, in 5165 EA, an unnatural drought struck the Caian country of Akara, lasting for almost a year. At the time, Akara was at war with Kaien, and the fact the drought was localised around Akara's main agricultural area leads scholars to believe that the Kaienese caused it with magic. Kaien has never admitted to doing so, however, and insist it must have been natural.
The drought caused a lot of suffering. Crops failed, leading to widespread famine. Dry vegetation led to wildfires that destroyed wide swathes of countryside. Rivers and lakes dried up; the larger rivers were left with only a couple of metres of water in places, whereas other places were left with just a few inches of mud.
Though the drought was hard on everyone, the merfolk of Akerra struggled the most as their homes literally dried up. As the start, some villages let merfolk children stay in their wells that still had water, but as the drought continued and the famine and fires worsened, people became less and less charitable, only looking out for their own. Thousands of people - merfolk, humans, shapeshifters, and dragons - died of starvation or dehydration, with many more lost to the fires. Animals did not fare much better.
Many fled south to Bazuur and Zenra in their desperation, though neither country was entirely welcoming to the refugees. They also believed the Kaienese were responsible for the drought, and did not want it to spread to their countries. However, even with the rapid passing of new laws and the tightening of the control of their borders, they could not entirely stem the tide.
The drought came to a sudden end when a weakened Akara surrendered to Kaien. This adds more credence to the idea that the drought was caused by Kaien, though the country still insists that it was merely coincidence.
It took several decades for Akara to recover from the effects of the drought.