Calamity Strikes
It was just a normal day, you know? That's how it started. I was in the fields, minding my sheep, daydreaming. My wife... She...
Sorry.
She'd promised a surprise, when I came home. It was... It would have been our anniversary. Five years. Such a small time together, looking back, but it felt so big to us.
I was trying to guess what it was, when the sheep... They can sense things, you know? They must have sensed the Calamity and...
I'm sorry, can we try to talk about this again later? It's... I still can't talk about this without...
She was so proud of herself, you know? Almost giddy with excitement, wringing her hands like she always did when she was trying not to tell me something... When I close my eyes I can still see her standing in the doorway, watching me drive the sheep to pasture...
That was the last I saw her...— former Kogal shepherd
In 5712 CFE disaster struck the peaceful
Kogal Island, forcing its inhabitants to flee to avoid the magical corruption now known as
The Calamity. In hindsight this event was proceeded by years of suspicious activity at the formerly abandoned
Farscale Tower, but most assumed this was a result of the
Society of Scientific Exploration and Discovery covertly resuming their surveillance of the
feral dragons despite their coerced treaty to the contrary.
Formation of the Taskforce
After decades with no change to the corrupted state of the island, several members of the
Goldaming Family identified the island as a valuable opportunity to study Calamity and potentially discover a method to reverse its effects. Success would not only allow for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the island, but also open the door for the development of treatments to undo the other effects of the
Third Law of Magic.
By 5732 CFE the Goldamings had developed their own research team, armed with an array of ideas gleaned from records on
Vitriol Magic from the
Great Library. They reached out to the Society of Scientific Exploration and Discovery as a sign of goodwill, due to SSED's history of ownership over the Farscale Tower at the epicenter of the Calamity event. After brief consideration the SSED agreed to combine resources in the endeavor and the Kogal Taskforce was born.
Base of Operations
Why don't you head back to the main base, get some rest and some real food. I'm going to stay with Katie for a while, I've got a theory I want to try out.
Don't give me that look! I'll stay on Katie. Someone has to watch the portal, after all. 'Bout time I earned my keep around here, right? Go! I'll be fine, and you really need a shower.
Ow! What was that for?— Taskforce member
Due to the Calamity across the island Kogal was deemed a risky location of operations for the Taskforce. SSED contacted the
Fillimet Magical Archives and obtained clearance for a small base in the northwest corner of
Martoka Island, in exchange for full copies of the Taskforce's notes and reports for inclusion within the FMA's records. The FMA also agreed to provide the Taskforce with full access to their own library.
The Goldamings have also developed a small floating outpost near Kogal Island safely outside the corruption zone,
KT1. This provides a local base of operations and a safe location for
Portal Travel to and from the Island, although the
Librarians assigned to the Taskforce are the only regular inhabitants due to safety precautions. While the corruption zone around Kogal Island has remained stable for decades the Taskforce prefers to take no chances.
Kogal Island Today
The Taskforce has not yet discovered a solution to reverse the Calamity on the island, although their careful research has improved their understanding of
Vitriol Magic and the actions and reactions leading to the 5712 Calamity.
The
Herbs are Healing Movement has recently been approved for membership within the Taskforce, bringing their own unique experiments to the island. Their latest experiment involved the planting of several fields of
Imperial Night Rose scattered across the island. The HHM hopes these
Imperium-consuming plants will also devour the magical corruption across the island, with the effects of that corruption upon the roses also flagged as part of the study. Preliminary results appear promising but the experiment is still in its early stages.
I really like this approach to the challenge: a task force with a specific goal in mind. I also really like that you have a variety of types of members: a family, societies and movements, etc.
Thank you! I had a lot of fun planning who would join in on this project. I am glad you enjoyed my list too.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.