The Realignment
No doubt the Realignment has already been referenced several times in prior articles; it is difficult to discuss any recent history or geography without mentioning it. The Realignment refers to the realms of Raen'dor "re-aligning" with the rest of the Material Plane-- and as such, separating more fully from the Feywild and the Shadowfell. This planar shift re-introduced Raen'dor to the rest of the world and opened countless new possibilities for exploration, but was also a cataclysmic event that devastated the realms when it occurred.
Prior to the Realignment, areas of Raen'dor did not simply border the Feywild or Shadowfell, but rather physically overlapped with them; it was entirely possible for one location to be both in the Feywild and in the Material world of Raen'dor. While it was obvious in certain locations that this was the case (a good example is the Isle of Everlasting Summer, where mortals could travel to and access the Seelie Court's main seat of power), most people did not even know if or when a place was on the border of two planes. When the Realignment occurred, it forced these overlapping areas to separate, leaving what had stood for centuries to exist either in the Feywild or the Shadowfell. Buildings, roads, landmarks-- even entire towns-- were wiped off the map in an instant, leaving strange new locations in their place. The overlaps were more precise than anyone could have predicted; some buildings were even cleaved in half, leaving homes ruined and eerie half-structures marking what was once the border between planes.
Still, buildings and roads can be rebuilt-- what cannot be rebuilt are the hundreds people who disappeared alongside them. Any person who was on the "wrong" side of the planar border was marooned on that plane; most who were lost ended up in the Feywild as it was much more populated and habitable than the Shadowfell, but some poor souls were stranded there as well. Families were separated, friends were lost, and homes disappeared all in the blink of an eye. The Fey Courts, which had long influenced the history of Raen'dor, were removed from play, and various denizens of both the Feywild and the Shadowfell were left behind to exist solely the Material Plane.
The Realignment occurred on the 1st of Summer in the Year 1077-- ten years ago. While there have been crossings discovered that still exist between the planes (allowing adventurers to search for those who were lost), the fate of those peoples still remains largely unknown. Some grieve the lost and accept them as gone forever; others are still devoted to finding them, convinced they will someday return home. Regardless, the effects of the Realignment will no doubt be felt for many decades-- even centuries-- to come; even now, it is still settling in just how impactful this event has been on the course of Raen'dor's history.
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