The Shattering

Era beginning/end

A geological catastrophe stemming from the activation of a Sihlan super weapon by a group of Saaran guerillas. Due to an improper firing, the weapon erupted, rupturing the tectonic plates that overlapped along Southern Volksaar. This created a chain of monumental explosions along a Shard Vein feeding the super weapon. As consequence, three pieces of the continent were severed from the mainland and the knowledge of Shards pertaining to humanity, was wiped away. The waters from the Ryllkren Ocean rushed into the divide between, creating the sea that is now known as, "The Open Wound".
  Three Causes: The Saaran Uprising from enslavement in Sihlo'di'hiir. Development and the inevitable misfiring of the super weapon by Emperor Miiran. Discovery of memory manipulation through overloading a human's brain with Shard.
  Three Consequences: A global amnesia across the Human race. Much of archived history and technology is erased from archives. The Severed Isles break off from Volksaar, causing tsunamis and earthquakes across the globe. Kingdoms and religious entities are dissolved.

This affected all of humanity equally, as the super weapon was able to wipe the knowledge of Shardcasting from human civilization. Much of this was due to the capability of the restructuring of brains through the same process that is used within Vein Travel. Additionally, much of history and knowledge had been transferred into Shard-based mediums, which were wiped from the pulse. However, other races were left unaffected by the memory altering affects. This was either due to their natural fortitude against Shardcasting, or the lack of knowledge of their anatomical composition for the desired consequence.