The Eskarith Plot

The Eskarith Plot is the name given to a scheme planned by the cult The Forever Thought which culminated in a failed attempt to summon Eskarith into the material plane (see The Assault on Eskarith). Due to the involvement of adventuring party The Prime Ordeal, the summoning ritual instead resulted in Eskarith's death and ushered in The Divine Age. Most of what is known about the plot is due to Florin Redbeard's commission of a stained-glass depiction of the events, which is visible in the Rakash Temple to Nyptha.

Background

Not much is widely known regarding why The Forever Thought, a fear cult, decided to summon Eskarith. What is known is that the cult leaders had been given immense powers by him that enabled them to spread their fear across Tharael. Not much time had passed into their plot before The Prime Ordeal took notice and began their campaign to stop the cult.

The Five Cultists

Key cult members had hidden themselves throughout the world where they were sought out and hunted by The Prime Ordeal.
Providence, Ascendant of Chains was hiding in Rakash, having recently fled there from Aidek Isle after The Defence of Qosx. Her influence had not yet had a chance to fully establish itself by the time she was found, apprehended, and imprisoned on the 3rd of Springstep 3348.
Arkin, Ascendant of Isolation was hiding in The Chalkwoods where he worked to abduct passers-by and torment them in sensory deprivation chambers. When The Prime Ordeal found him, they freed his prisoners (who were in differing states of trauma), defeated Arkin, and imprisoned him on the 8th of Allbloom 3348.
Lesonia, Ascendant of Mutilation was hiding in Che'ax which was at the time suffering from permanent night-time, brought about by the influence of a shadow dragon. She took advantage of the chaos and confusion caused by the night-time effect in order to get away with kidnapping members of the community and grafting parts of their bodies onto her own. She was discovered and slain by The Prime Ordeal on the 28th of Allbloom 3348.
Drukh, Ascendant of Humiliation was hiding in the coastal trade city of Eddig, and was using his expertise to ramp up piracy to an extremely high degree. The Prime Ordeal were never able to find him, and in late Palesun 3348, he fled the city.
Bekron, Ascendant of Extinction had situated himself on Klaso Island where he spread an infectious zombie plague through the people that lived there. After he had eliminated almost the entire island's population this way, The Prime Ordeal hunted him down and killed him on the 20th of Highsun 3348. His death caused all of the plague zombies to lose their animating magic, but the people who had already turned were irretrievable.

The Ritual

Once The Prime Ordeal had defeated as many of The Forever Thought cultists as they could, they hatched a plan to foil the ritual once and for all. Once they'd discovered the planned date of the summoning ritual, they liberated Madeleine the Magnificent from her devil patron and re-recruited her into the party. She tricked Providence into travelling to the summoning site, making her think that she was willing to join The Forever Thought. During this time, she maintained telepathic contact with the rest of the party, including River Surges in Sunlight who had learned of her liberation.
On the day of the summoning ritual, Madeleine informed the party of what was going on. The group all teleported to her position, and after discovering that the remaining cultists had been killed by the ritual, what is now known as The Assault on Eskarith began. After a well-fought battle, Eskarith was killed and The Prime Ordeal went their separate ways.