The Year of the Fall
The Fall was a near total extinction event, wiping out two-thirds of all life on Ior. The Fall itself, and the events leading up to it occurred over a three-month period in what is now simply known as Year 0 or the Year of the Fall.
Many primal elementals hated mortals near as much as the Titan did, for this had been their home first. One such elemental, the first volcano, offered his power to the Titan. The Titan devoured the fire and molten earth, focused his wrath to destroy all life. It was at this moment that the gods learned of the Titan. As he drew power in to attack, Eanna saw that it was not some formless malice in the darkness, but the Shadow itself was an ancient being. She and Aldanoc raised their shields, deflecting the attack as best they could, but with so little warning they could not stop it entirely. The destructive power rained down upon Ior in the form of dragons. They were fire, shadow, and rage given life. They spread over the globe, wreaking havoc wherever they went. Their low intelligence and instinct drove them to destroy all that crossed their paths. This was the first battle in the war that would follow, for the gods and the Titan were now aware of each other, and directly opposed as they would decide who ruled Ior.
Now that the gods and Titan were fully aware of each other, all-out war broke. Both sides began to test their enemy. Aldanoc and his shieldmaidens vigilantly fought against the darkness, shielding mortals from the Titan's wrath. Yet, there were many corners where shadows dwelled, and not even the gods could be everywhere. The Titan, it seemed, could. The skies blackened. All the warmth of the sun vanished. Plants withered at the root and turned to dust. Life was violently ripped from the bodies of man and beasts. Eanna turned to the darkness with all the light and fire of the sun. The resultant clash spread fire and death across the world. The gods were embroiled in what seemed to be a losing battle.
The gods faced the Titan, shielding mortals from his wrath. They struggled against his might and hatred, though they never seemed to gain the upper hand. It was a time of fear and death. Often, whole cities would disappear into the darkness and to stray from the light was certain death. It was at this time that Evangeline, then queen, now Saint, raised an army of supporters to help stop this evil and aid the gods. She gathered to her armies of dwarves and trolls, and even the elves marched from the wilds with horns and fangs gleaming. They gathered at the Great Seat, a massive black glass rock that rose from the Jungles of the Eastlands. The greatest sorcerers, wizards, and priests of the world focused all their power into the Seat, imbuing it with as much magic energy as they could. They were not unhindered. The great elemental creatures were roused from their homes in the earth, infuriated by the mortals, they attacked Evangeline's armies, turning the jungles around the Seat into a beleaguered battleground. Still, the interference of mortals was enough to draw the Titan's gaze. Enraged, the Titan coalesced and moved to smite them all in one fell swoop. It was then that Eanna and the other gods truly realized what the mortals had been doing, but the energy in the seat was still not enough.
In that moment when all seemed lost, a dying god burst forth like a blazing comet. Aldanoc lassoed this god's power and forced it down into the Seat. In an instant, everything changed. The thousands of men, elves, and mortals whose hands still touched the seat were at once obliterated, their ashes blasting out across the fields, their white hand-prints forever seared into the black stone. Saint Evangeline, her sword poised to smite a greater elemental, was torn to shreds along with her foe. The lands around the Seat were destroyed, turned to an ashen wasteland. The world was thrown into upheaval. All the magic power in the Seat was released, causing a cataclysm that rent the lands, ravaged the seas, and swallowed whole civilizations in an instant. It was a terrible price to pay, yet not without purpose. The Titan was tethered to a mortal form and sealed within the Seat. His power was ravaged, torn from him in great shards. For a few blessed centuries, mortals could go into the night without fear of the Titan.
Many unforeseen consequences came from the Titan's imprisonment. His power was not destroyed but torn from him. It was blasted across the land, congealing in dark places, exuding malice and hatred. In those places where it came in contact with Eanna's life-giving force, it gained life of its own. These creatures became the Exos Umbros. Naturally cruel and hateful, they are the living embodiment of the Titan's dark nature. Obsidian skin, razor teeth, and magma red eyes, they resemble the mortal form the Titan was forced to take. They live in the deep places of the world where no sunlight can "corrupt" them. All other life is disgusting to them, and they view the other mortal races as either tools or food.
Two-thirds of all life was wiped from existence in the upheaval of the Fall. Much of the magic in Ior was extinguished and what was left was unfettered, wild and uncontrollable. The mortal races were forced to rebuild from almost nothing. With so much of their arcane power and knowledge torn from them, they would never reach such levels of splendor again. It would take centuries for life to recover. Ancient cities of the Arcane age were left to rot in the forests, deserts, and mountains, haunted by untethered magic. Mortals would rebuild. They would forget things which should never be forgotten.
Background
Children are afraid of the dark. I wonder sometimes if we are wise to outgrow that.For many centuries, the gods and mortals lived in ignorance of the Titan. They knew the darkness was dangerous, that if they delved too deep or ventured too far beyond the safety of the light dreadful shadows would rise up and slaughter them. Eanna gave mortals fire so they might defend themselves against the dark, but there were always those gloom bound places where no mortal dared tread. They did not know that this world belonged to the Titan; darkness and primal power made manifest. His fury at this invasion of light and life upon his realm was boundless. Yet the light had diminished his influence. So for many centuries, he waited, gathering his energy, devouring what life he could until he was strong enough to smite the trespassers in one terrible assault.
The Coming of Dragons
Many primal elementals hated mortals near as much as the Titan did, for this had been their home first. One such elemental, the first volcano, offered his power to the Titan. The Titan devoured the fire and molten earth, focused his wrath to destroy all life. It was at this moment that the gods learned of the Titan. As he drew power in to attack, Eanna saw that it was not some formless malice in the darkness, but the Shadow itself was an ancient being. She and Aldanoc raised their shields, deflecting the attack as best they could, but with so little warning they could not stop it entirely. The destructive power rained down upon Ior in the form of dragons. They were fire, shadow, and rage given life. They spread over the globe, wreaking havoc wherever they went. Their low intelligence and instinct drove them to destroy all that crossed their paths. This was the first battle in the war that would follow, for the gods and the Titan were now aware of each other, and directly opposed as they would decide who ruled Ior.
Gathering Storm
Now that the gods and Titan were fully aware of each other, all-out war broke. Both sides began to test their enemy. Aldanoc and his shieldmaidens vigilantly fought against the darkness, shielding mortals from the Titan's wrath. Yet, there were many corners where shadows dwelled, and not even the gods could be everywhere. The Titan, it seemed, could. The skies blackened. All the warmth of the sun vanished. Plants withered at the root and turned to dust. Life was violently ripped from the bodies of man and beasts. Eanna turned to the darkness with all the light and fire of the sun. The resultant clash spread fire and death across the world. The gods were embroiled in what seemed to be a losing battle.
Saint Evangeline
The gods faced the Titan, shielding mortals from his wrath. They struggled against his might and hatred, though they never seemed to gain the upper hand. It was a time of fear and death. Often, whole cities would disappear into the darkness and to stray from the light was certain death. It was at this time that Evangeline, then queen, now Saint, raised an army of supporters to help stop this evil and aid the gods. She gathered to her armies of dwarves and trolls, and even the elves marched from the wilds with horns and fangs gleaming. They gathered at the Great Seat, a massive black glass rock that rose from the Jungles of the Eastlands. The greatest sorcerers, wizards, and priests of the world focused all their power into the Seat, imbuing it with as much magic energy as they could. They were not unhindered. The great elemental creatures were roused from their homes in the earth, infuriated by the mortals, they attacked Evangeline's armies, turning the jungles around the Seat into a beleaguered battleground. Still, the interference of mortals was enough to draw the Titan's gaze. Enraged, the Titan coalesced and moved to smite them all in one fell swoop. It was then that Eanna and the other gods truly realized what the mortals had been doing, but the energy in the seat was still not enough.
The Dying God
In that moment when all seemed lost, a dying god burst forth like a blazing comet. Aldanoc lassoed this god's power and forced it down into the Seat. In an instant, everything changed. The thousands of men, elves, and mortals whose hands still touched the seat were at once obliterated, their ashes blasting out across the fields, their white hand-prints forever seared into the black stone. Saint Evangeline, her sword poised to smite a greater elemental, was torn to shreds along with her foe. The lands around the Seat were destroyed, turned to an ashen wasteland. The world was thrown into upheaval. All the magic power in the Seat was released, causing a cataclysm that rent the lands, ravaged the seas, and swallowed whole civilizations in an instant. It was a terrible price to pay, yet not without purpose. The Titan was tethered to a mortal form and sealed within the Seat. His power was ravaged, torn from him in great shards. For a few blessed centuries, mortals could go into the night without fear of the Titan.
Exos Umbros
Many unforeseen consequences came from the Titan's imprisonment. His power was not destroyed but torn from him. It was blasted across the land, congealing in dark places, exuding malice and hatred. In those places where it came in contact with Eanna's life-giving force, it gained life of its own. These creatures became the Exos Umbros. Naturally cruel and hateful, they are the living embodiment of the Titan's dark nature. Obsidian skin, razor teeth, and magma red eyes, they resemble the mortal form the Titan was forced to take. They live in the deep places of the world where no sunlight can "corrupt" them. All other life is disgusting to them, and they view the other mortal races as either tools or food.
Aftermath
Two-thirds of all life was wiped from existence in the upheaval of the Fall. Much of the magic in Ior was extinguished and what was left was unfettered, wild and uncontrollable. The mortal races were forced to rebuild from almost nothing. With so much of their arcane power and knowledge torn from them, they would never reach such levels of splendor again. It would take centuries for life to recover. Ancient cities of the Arcane age were left to rot in the forests, deserts, and mountains, haunted by untethered magic. Mortals would rebuild. They would forget things which should never be forgotten.
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