The Displacement

Disaster / Destruction

A devastating natural event begins a chain of events that will forever change the nation's history.

During the Formation Cycle, Isturoth consisted of a collection of many smaller kingdoms that often traded and sometimes warred with one another. Each was ruled independently by its own monarch or self-governing council.   In 7621, the south-west region was thrown into chaos as the active volcano Malrokum ("mark of Mal") erupted suddenly and threw ash and molten earth as far as X km away. Lava spewed down the side of the gargantuan mountain and flowed over everything in its path, while entire towns sank into newly-cleaved chasms of roiling magma. In addition to the damage from scorching debris falling from the sky, the air and water enveloped by the cloud of ash from Malrokum's eruption became toxic.   Utterly desperate and with their homes destroyed or abandoned, the flood of surviving refugees from the 10-13 affected provinces sought help from their neighbouring kingdoms in every direction. The reactions varied greatly from kingdom to kingdom however this event was the trigger that began a series of long and costly battles that shaped the entire nation.   From some regions, authorities and governments attempted to aid, shelter and feed as many refugees as they were able to, but many soon found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of souls fleeing their broken and buried homes, many of which were injured or sick. Numerous kingdoms beset by refugees began to adopt a shared strategy of placing self-preservation first and foremost.   The less-affected nations had opted to turn away refugees or close their borders entirely in order to save resources and help their own people instead. Some succeeded in barricading themselves against the tide of displaced people, while others simply got overrun by the groups of desperate people that still had the energy to fight to survive.