SR History: 401 PY - End of the Peace Years

[Vardaen]

The following very long mail is the current NEWS file on the Akarian Dawn MUSH, which is the 2nd generation of Shadowrift MUSH. This is what happened the first time around, lets see if we can't change that, shall we? I will try and post additional files about other history stuff later to help TetNak flesh out the world to those of you not on the MUSHes.

FALL OF CALDERA
The end of the Peace Years

410 PY: Raughir felt the time to strike forth in ernest had come. His army, led by the great Fiend Saurgoth, under the guise of a mortal named Ardasir, swept north to Caldera, crushing towns and fortifications alike. Tynwald fell like a sand castle against a tidal wave. Dun Greum fell nearly as easily. Soon all of Tynwald was occupied by Imperial troops and others of Raughir's minions.

Continued in NEWS FALL OF DERNFAST

FALL OF DERNFAST
Raughir amassed his troops, and Durnalis itself prepared for the Uruadrim
Imperial Army's black banner, and the legions of undead, Grunlings, Ogres, and Drakkloth that looked to destroy everything in their path. The attack came swiftly against the walled frontier city of Dernfast, the only Durnalian holding west of the Great Wall. But the Durnalians held off the attack for months. King Alandriach of the Sylvanhel arrived at that battle unexpected, with a handful of mighty warriors. Palamon d'Anadel bested the general Valdaran time after time, his powerful ancestral White Sword giving him strength against the Riftspawn unmatched among mortal warriors. But at last the overwhelming might of Uruadum, its sheer numbers and vile magicks, prevailed. Through secret tunnels the Durnalian forces retreated behind the Great Wall, and Dernfast fell.

Continued in NEWS FALL OF TOWER VARELLE

FALL OF TOWER VARELLE
411 PY: The time was right. Durnalis was huddled behind the Great Wall, and unable to send aid now to its allies across the land, and the fierce winter made the North Sea all but impossible to sail troops from Northern Durnalis to the Elves in the East. Now Raughir gave Saurgoth a new quest. To complete their unholy conquest, the greatest threat must be destroyed. It was obvious; the Druids of the Valanhel must be destroyed. An attack of great might would be needed to assail the Druids in their mighty Tower. Raughir needed more than Saurgoth; Lothengwa and Avargurth were needed at the very least. The Demon-Lord knew it would be difficult to sway Raevnos, whom had left his service long ago. How it was that he brought Avargurth back to his side, after following Raevnos' defection will never be known.

Continued in NEWS FALL OF TOWER VARELLE2

FALL OF TOWER VARELLE2
Of the nine Druids there were six: Kil-Gadron, Myshael, and Gamaliel, foremost, and Meniah, wife of Kil-Gadron, Mera, and Kahith. There, upon that day, an epic battle was fought and decided. There was little parlay, for there was nothing to be said. The might of magical powers, oncentrated in such a place, both of righteous and evil, would never again be matched. It was not long after, the forces of Saurgoth gained the advantage, and even the arrival of the three final Druids, Kiriath, Jeribai, and Raphun, could not sway the favor in the Druids' hands.

Continued in NEWS FALL OF TOWER VARELLE3

FALL OF TOWER VARELLE3
The Druids fled back into the Tower, and Saurgoth in his arrogance ordered his
minions to follow the Druids. Lothengwa followed not, allowing Saurgoth and
Avargurth to end the weakened Druids and claim mastery for Raughir. The
specifics of what occurred inside the Tower Varelle may never be known, but the
outcome would become legendary. The Druids, summoning all their combined power,
began to unravel the Nexus - the very essence of magic. Several of the Druids
departed the tower to take the battle elsewhere, while three remained behind to
see that the unravelling completed. The remaining Druids and Fiends alike were
torn asunder with the tremendous explosion of magic, to be outcast into the
Abyss for millennia to come.

Continued in NEWS RAUGHIR DECIDES

RAUGHIR DECIDES
PY 412: Saurgoth was dead. Raughir had lost his Champion, but that would not
dissuade the Demon-Lord. His plan had succeeded. The Druids were gone, and now
only the last bastion of good, Durnalis, stood between Raughir and the world.
He decided not to leave the fate of Eretha to Lothengwa; instead, the
Demon-Lord himself would touch his feet against the soil and vanquish his
enemies.

But the Allies were not quiet as Raughir assailed Varelle. Alandriach, King of
the Sylvanhel, was with Prince Palamon d'Anadel in Durnalis with his greatest
warriors. The ancient Black Tower of sorcery, knowing now to indeed be the time
for action, lent their mighty magical aid to the Allies. Secret messages were
sent via lone riders to King Gilain of Gharin. Preparations for an attack were
underway.

Continued in NEWS THE VISIONARY

THE VISIONARY
In the Black Tower, the Archmage Aravik began to study the workings of the
enemy more fervently than ever before. For years the particularly gifted, and
ancient, man worked to find a weakness, a way to undo the very makings of the
Rift itself. Though that was the goal of the Black Tower since its founding
millennia ago, Aravik was the first High Sorcerer to actually practice the
Dark Arts to better understand them. Aravik, and his constituents knew of the
fate of the Tower of Varelle, but not so clear were the details. Since the fall
of Varelle, a new visionary had arisen through the ranks of the Black Tower,
and the details of the Visionary's coming were not well known. But time and
again, the Visionary had accurately predicted the movements of the Enemy, and
seemed to Aravik to understand much of the Enemy intuitively.

This Visionary was none other than Lothengwa herself, disguised with great
magic so powerful even the Archmagi together could not see the truth.
Raughir's desires were fast coming together.

Continued in NEWS CARNAC RESISTS

CARNAC RESISTS
The Emperor rose again. Cil ra-Durrog - the Demon-Lord - Raughir began leading
the Southern armies north. As Saurgoth had done, Cil used Carnac as a hub to
launch attacks against the north. Yet, with the lack of an iron hand upon them,
the infamous Carnasians began to waylay Uruadum from his strongest point
northward. Their home. It is no secret that Daerith Dreadblade, Knight of
Durnalis, and former Captain of the Crimson Guard of Carnac, led many of Carnac
to fight against the tyrants. The revolts and such would do little to stop
Raughir's attack upon Durnalis. It would take much more than that.

Continued in NEWS THE GHAST AND THE SWORD

THE GHAST AND THE SWORD
Guiding the Hand of a Ghost

In Uruadum, an unlikely player in the fate of Eretha combed the land. Known
simply as the Ghast. Mercenary, assassin, and bounty hunter; the man lived
without care for any save himself. Hearing of Cil's hold over Carnac, and
needing to flee Uruadum proper, the man left for the ancient city. Cil knew of
his coming, and immediately offered the mercenary more than his price in gold,
land, and titles. Thusly, he began to serve under Valdaran in war, and under
Cil in subterfuge.

Continued in NEWS THE GHAST AND THE SWORD2

THE GHAST AND THE SWORD2
Durnalis in the North was massing one of the greatest armies it had ever
wielded behind the Great Wall. Its Southern cities under attack from the
Uruadum Navy from Tenigul, the generals of the Alliance knew that a move must
be made against the Demon Lord's forces in Dernfast. With the combined might of
their forces, under the leadership of the man who wielded the White Sword of
Anadel, the Durnalians may very well defeat the Uruadum occupying force. The
rightful wielder of the White Sword was a powerful enemy to the Riftspawn, and
countered the enemy's dark magicks easily. Cil knew this, and contracted the
Ghast, not of the Rift, to take the blade from the Prince. Fate must have been
with him, for the Ghast took the Sword easily from the Prince, in the middle of
his own army's camp.

Continued in next post...

[Vardaen]

Continued from previous post...

WAITING TIME
Hope for Dernfast now looked bleak: the Anhel had not arrived, the White Sword
was gone, and Valdaran's army grew in number every day. The Ghast had not told
Valdaran of the White Sword, and thus, Cil remained worried about its presence.
He kept a staying hand on his finest general, not wishing many of his
Riftspawn, including Valdaran, to die in a wasted effort. He would give the
famous Ghast time.

Even as Cil waited, the Allies had devised a desperate scheme. Palamon and
Alandriach led the best of their forces over a long-forgotten and now secret
mountain pass between the Umbrael Highlands and Dun Greum. It was a dangerous
trek, risking avalanche daily, but the Umbrael had strange magicks of their
own, and together with a strange wizard named Mecmer, they proved enough to
stabilize the snow. After a grueling march, the elite forces stopped on the
mountains above Dun Greum, and waited.

Continued in NEWS THE GREAT CANNON

THE GREAT CANNON
The arrival of the Dwarven legions was not one of great glory. The battalions
were few, but with them they had their most potent weapon: a mighty Cannon.
Valdaran himself met the Dwarves there, and the Dark Born haughtily brought his
forces out from their fortress to destroy the rabble. Palamon's Rangers relayed
the message to the Dwarves: FIRE! A resounding boom echoed across the valley of
Dun Greum, and a great roar responded. The great depths of snow came crashing
down on the enemy from the mountains, destroying Valdaran's forces. Then
Knights and Rangers, Elves and Dwarves, descended upon the hapless Uruadum
forces. Valdaran's forces fought well enough to buy them an escape, and now
from secret tunnels came more and more Dwarves. They prepared to assail
Dernfast, to take it back.

Continued in NEWS OVER THE KUNYORI SEA

OVER THE KUNYORI SEA
Meanwhile in Lun'sar, Linsaki, first made of the Dark Born sat upon her throne.
She had wants and desires besides Raughir's conquest. She was infatuated, if
nothing more, with the Ghast, whom she had been using to dispatch other noble
households of her province for several years. He would have no master, however,
and scorned the Dark Born, drawing her hate and ire. She knew more of his
origins than most, for he was not a normal mercenary, but bred from a stock of
men holding their own honor codes and mental abilities. They were the Hynsadian
Monks, whose abode overlooks the Kunyori Sea in the far south. Upon finding the
Ghast's teacher, whom he called Father, she demanded to know his whereabouts.
The elderly man would not tell her, and Linsaki in her rage slew him
wordlessly.

Continued in NEWS A STROKE OF FATE

A STROKE OF FATE
Cil waited for the Ghast. The Ghast had arrived in Carnac, and Cil could feel
him, and his gift. But when the two met, the Ghast ordered Cil to deliver more
than the promised payment for the Sword, demanding the death of Linsaki and all
her lands. Such arrogance and indiscretion would have been the death of the
Ghast, as Cil revealed himself to be Raughir, the Demon Lord! Raughir unleashed
a tremendous attack of evil upon the Ghast, but the Ghast had with him the
White Sword. This Sword was forged with just one purpose: the destruction of
all Riftspawn. It held a grasp upon the spirits of all its past wielders,
Kings, Princes, and Paladins of Miranis who had dedicated their lives to the
destruction of Raughir. It was forbidden for any but those of the line of
Miranis himself to draw this blade, but its will was great that day. Rather
than the Ghast wielding the Sword, it is better said that the Sword wielded the
Ghast. It sliced Raughir's hand clean from his arm, the Ghast holding it weakly
as it acted of its own volition. The manor of Raughir imploded into the ground
below, and a swarm of bats raced for Uruadum. Raughir was beaten, if not
utterly defeated.

Continued in NEWS THE TIDE TURNS

THE TIDE TURNS
At Dernfast, the Uruadrim magicks were suddenly useless. The Dwarves and the
small group of Durnalians arrived from the North. The amassed army of
Durnalians behind the Great Wall arrived from the East. And finally the Ananhel
and Sylvanhel, under the leadership of the great Ananhel Knight Kir-Galean,
arrived from the West. Though the numbers of Uruadrim were great, their mighty
magicks were now useless. Disorder and chaos ensued, as Valdaran fled to Carnac
with a great force, knowing that holding Carnac would be of great import to the
War, which had suddenly turned against the forces of Raughir.

The Durnalians escalated the war with the morale-stricken Uruadrim, this time
at sea. Their wrath was great, but that of the Enemy was as well. Great sea
battles took place, and it seemed that both navies would be destroyed. Neither
side ever asked quarter, and neither would have given it. But then, one day,
the advance fast ships of Durnalis, which had been used to scout, reported that
the greatest navy Uruadum had ever launched was headed toward the main Armada
of Durnalis. That navy never arrived.

Continued in NEWS THE ARCHMAGI'S PLAN

THE ARCHMAGI'S PLAN
Aravik learned of Lothengwa's plan in the Black Tower. He and the other
Archmagi kept a steady eye on the Temptress's activities. They planned to turn
her own will against her, and use her as an unknowing counterspy. They were
careful to keep the secret, as always, from anyone else but themselves.
Davril, Palamon's brother, had been ousted from the league of the Black Tower,
his refusal to dabble in the black arts causing Aravik much strain. The young
are foolish, and certainly Davril's youth caused such foolishness, and it was
decided the Black Tower would press onward without him.

Continued in NEWS LIBERATION OF CARNAC

LIBERATION OF CARNAC
Carnac had not forgotten. Occupation to the Carnasians was unacceptable. For
many generations different groups had tried to do such, as it was the gateway
from north to south, and east to west. Yet, they were determined not to allow
this to happen again. They looked to their present captors, the weakened
Uruadrim rule, and bided their time.

When the Durnalian army arrived and laid siege to Carnac, those inhabitants
rose up against Uruadum. It was not as long a siege even as Dernfast had been,
but simply an expulsion. Yet, the tensions between those very inhabitants and
Durnalis, the new 'protector' of Carnac, ran high.

Continued in NEWS THE CHOSEN

THE CHOSEN
Carnac quickly became the headquarters for the Durnalian land attacks against
the northern Uruadum province of Drakkar. One day a sight not seen in Carnac
for hundreds of years greeted the eyes of the Allied leaders: two great
dragons soaring from the North. They alighted there, and upon their backs were
the Druids and Davril. Now was the time to strike at Raughir himself. A vision
had told the Druids that Raughir was regaining his might at Funeng, and the
Dragons were ready to fly a small group of the best warriors in the land to
Funeng, the island of the Darkspire.

Haste was needed. Palamon d'Anadel, King Alandriach of the Sylvanhel, Serbitar
the Golden atop his great Griffon, Droughan of the Diamond Battallion of
Gharin, Davril the ex-Archmage, Kir-Galean the Ananhel Knight of the Black
Rose, and Daerith the Dreadblade were the chosen warriors. But Daerith could
not be found. Palamon sent an urgent message to all of his best knights to
find Daerith and summon him, but they could not find him. He also had called
to his "uncle" Demandred and gave him a letter detailing their plan in full.
Demandred set out immediately.

Continued in NEWS THE CHOSEN2

THE CHOSEN2
A week had passed since the search for Daerith had begun. Palamon's son
Arcite, much to his father's dismay, took Daerith's place among the warriors.
Demandred set out searching for Daerith, speaking as he always had to his
ancient spear which supposedly spoke back - but only to him.

The White Sword of Anadel was nowhere to be found, but the heroes hoped their
magics and the Elven blades could do what the White Sword was prophesied to do.
It was, they reasoned, their only chance. Even the immortal Elves agreed. As
the dragons and the griffon flew from Carnac to Funeng, Demandred was wandering
Drakkar, with no clear idea of where he was to go, to find Daerith and the
White Sword.

Continued in NEWS ASSAULT ON URUADUM

ASSAULT ON URUADUM
Raughir was regaining his strength. Entire villages were claimed for sacrifice,
and even age-old Uruadrim cities, towns, and even provinces were thinking
nothing of loyalty to an Emperor of such cruelty. But to revolt would mean
utter annihilation. Durnalis, sensing the weakness of the Enemy, began to
escalate the conflict. Many ships sailed toward Akar, and Tenigul itself, to
attempt to destroy the city believed to be the center of Uruadum's fearsome
military, and hoping to kill the will of an army already lacking in morale. On
land, they invaded the northernmost province of Drakkar, and the united army of
Anhel, Dwarves, and Durnalis utterly destroyed Valdaran's remaining army at
Durcarrack fortress. An assault upon Uruadum itself, a deadly proposition for
both sides, appeared imminent.

As his northern armies were being destroyed, and his navy was being
obliterated, even as his great coastal cities were being bombarded, Raughir
secretly gathered a huge army, of many different creeds and clans of Uruadum,
waiting for Durnalis to overextend itself, and finally for Lothengwa's plan to
succeed.

Continued in NEWS THE FINDING OF DAERITH

THE FINDING OF DAERITH
The White Sword was a weapon with a mind of its own, and the spirits of
generations of Kings and Princes of the Line of Miranis could speak to its
wielder. The bearer of the Sword was, if just barely, of that Line, though he
knew it not, and the spirits guided him through the desolation of Drakkar.
This bearer, the Ghast as he was known, happened upon the city of Aduunwath, a
recently liberated city now under the Durnalian Prince Kellinan. There, he and
Demandred arrived at the same time, and happened to go to the same tavern.
Inside, drunk and consorting with various women, was none other than Daerith
the Dreadblade.

Continued in NEWS VALDARANS DEATH

VALDARANS DEATH
As soon as the Ghast and Demandred Callandor arrived at that Inn, the servants
of Evil which had been in the guise of beautiful seductresses delaying Daerith
shed their disguises and attacked Demandred and the Ghast. The Ghast was
heedless of the attacks, however; comatose he seemed. Blindly he seemed to
stumble through the Inn, and hand the great Sword to Daerith. Demandred and a
hooded warrior, later revealed to be Captain Natalya Romanova, fought against
tremendous odds there; Valdaran himself arrived from the street to keep that
mighty Sword from reaching Daerith. But it was for naught. Demandred and his
ancient Spear killed Valdaran in an unlikely victory, and the Sword reached the
hand of Daerith. How Daerith and Captain Natalya of the Screaming Eagles
mercenaries arrived at Funeng has not been told, but some old men still swear
that their father's father had seen a potent spell summon them from the tavern
that night.

Continued in NEWS OPENING OF THE RIFT

OPENING OF THE RIFT
In the Black Tower, the Visionary pleaded for the High Council of Sorcery to
keep the Shadow Rift shut, no matter the cause, for if it was opened now, the
world would surely end. Aravik knew Lothengwa meant it to be a trap, and used
his powers, as well as the other Archmagi's powers, to breach the Rift,
believing it to be what Lothengwa wanted never to happen. But Lothengwa knew
for much of the time that Aravik knew of her disguise, playing on the Black
Tower's arrogance, the time came for her ultimate deception. So it was done.
Raughir was whole again. Throughout the lands and over the seas, the magicks of
the Uruadum forces was greater than it had ever been. All was lost, it seemed.

Continued in NEWS RAUGHIR APPEARS

RAUGHIR APPEARS
Near Funeng, the heroes were flying toward the Darkspire as the dreaded Rift
opened. The heroes landed, and the Dragons took to the air, with only Palamon
and Alandriach astride the great creatures. Raughir flew up from the Darkspire
of Funeng in all his hideous glory to meet them. From the skies creatures of
untold evil flew forth from the Rift. Lothengwa had been successful, but she
had failed as well. For she had underestimated the might of the Archmagi in
their own Tower, and they slew her. Aravik died in that battle, as did two
other Archmagi, but the rest had survived. Wielding the mighty Staff of
Albarin, they strove to shut the Rift. The Druids, weakened as they were, lent
all their magic as aid.

Continued in NEWS THE LAST BATTLE

THE LAST BATTLE
The Dragons and their riders, and Serbitar, flew with unparalleled rage
against the Enemy. Davril worked his powerful magic from the ground, but now
the very seams of the Ley Lines were being torn asunder, and his magic was
severely weakened. The spell was finally released. Serbitar died protecting
Davril as he wove his spell, but the Golden One had slain a half dozen Fiends
before his own death. Alandriach lept from the back of Daurbrann, and with
skill befitting an immortal, sliced Raughir's wing clean from his back. The two
tumbled down atop the Darkspire, but the Elven King was not dead yet, though
the fall was great. As Droughan climbed the spire, Daerith and Natalya arrived
at Funeng. Had this been Davril's doing? How they arrived there was a mystery
even to Daerith and Natalya. But now the White Sword had arrived, and the great
Dragon, whom madness had taken but was now whole again, flew down to allow
Palamon to take the sword. Exhausted, the strain of working magic against the
overwhelming power of the Rift having nearly killed him, Davril now turned his
magic to aid that of his once-brethren.

Continued in NEWS THE LAST BATTLE2

THE LAST BATTLE2
Raughir was no fool, however. He wielded great magics as well, and with the
Rift open, he was even greater. With an upraised hand, he rose the Darkspire
even higher, and separated the Paladin from his sword. But Daerith threw the
weapon to his friend, and his aim was true. The Paladin gripped his sword, but
was instantly rocked by two life-ending blows from the Demon Lord, whose
infernal weapon had sprung from his very flaming claws. But Palamon did not
fall. His ancient armor was ripped asunder, and he was bleeding profusely, but
the wounds somehow healed themselves. Alandriach rose to the side of the human
warrior, and sliced at Raughir himself. But the Elven King was not whole, and
Raughir, with one blow, knocked him from the Darkspire to his death.

Continued in NEWS THE LAST BATTLE3

THE LAST BATTLE3
Droughan realized that he could not arrive at the battle against Raughir, and
ran down now to defend Davril as he continued to weave his spell. Kir-Galean
joined him. In the skies, the great dragons battled the enemy. Daurbrann,
seeing Palamon alone against Raughir, flew down to the Paladin's aid. With
wings outstretched, he flew at the Demon Lord, and pinned him to the ground.
Even as he did so, his claws began to turn to blackest Obsidian, and soon he
was nothing but a massive black statue of a Dragon, jaws spread and right
front claw raised to destroy his enemy. Raughir released himself from the
grasp of the statue, and Palamon attacked. Thrice his sword bit deep into the
flesh of Raughir. The White Sword defended Palamon from blow after blow of the
Demon Lord, but Raughir's skill was far greater than the mortal man's. In a
fury of hideous might and magic, Raughir sliced Palamon's hand from his arm,
with such force that Palamon spun and fell back, unable to move, dying from
his many wounds.

Continued in NEWS THE LAST BATTLE4

THE LAST BATTLE4
Raughir laughed and looked at his now defeated enemy. In the face of victory,
Raughir spread his hands to the sky, and a terrible bolt of dark energy lanced
from him to the Rift, and then to the Dragon in the sky. Down he crashed, and
the Fiends which he battled alone now descended upon Davril and his defenders.

Kir-Galean and Droughan fought valiantly against the tides to defend the mage
behind them. But, unnoticed by friend and foe alike, Palamon's son Arcite had
climbed the Spire and now reached for the Sword. As he reached for the weapon,
Kir-Galean fell to the onslaught, and Droughan was quickly being overcome as
well. As he took the sword, Raughir turned to face him. Now Droughan too fell.
The young man drove the sword straight through the Demon Lord's heart, and
fire spewed forth from Raughir's chest, consuming Arcite. At just the same
time, Davril, the Druids, and the Archmagi sealed the Rift, and the backlash
of magic from doing so consumed them all. A great explosion could be seen
across Eretha as the Black Tower's tremendous magic was released.

Continued in NEWS THE LAST BATTLE5

THE LAST BATTLE5
At last, Daerith the Dreadblade arrived at the top of the Darkspire, his own
twin sabers drawn. He looked over to his friends as father and son lay dying
next to each other. Curiously, neither was in pain, he noticed, and he heard
their last words to each other. These he would always keep secret, he vowed to
himself as he surveyed the death and destruction, sheathing his twin sabers.
The fight over, Daerith reached down to take the Sword, which was broken off
halfway up the blade, and half-charred.

As he had always done, Daerith had survived. He looked around the isle, and
there he saw the navy of Uruadum sailing away. Raughir's army, which could
have destroyed the heroes, Daerith realized, had deserted him. So it always
is, he thought to himself. He turned to Natalya, and the two descended the
Darkspire. A ship under the command of a pirate Daerith had once known was
somehow waiting for them. They boarded, and sailed away. Daerith watched the
island as it disappeared from view, and then turned away as the ship sailed
for Dremanow.

Utterly defeated, Uruadum began to crumble like a great pillar of salt. The
Demon-Lord was gone, and even though some still remained faithful to the old
ways, others felt liberation with Raughir's destruction. It was to be a divine
stroke of victory for the Demon-Lord, but, years, thousands of years, of
oppression and death were his undoing....