Age of Rending

From TSSWiki

Year 1788 - 2206 B.X.

Page 1
With the powerful force of magic behind them, the kingdoms began to expand and grow. The human kingdom, never before having any real edge over the Dwarven and Elven kingdoms, utilized magic to bring itself into great power and prosperity. Clerics were still revered and respected, but the previous sense of awe in their powers was lessened as more and more people began to use magic. Though clerics were still the only ones who could successfully heal, there were now other powers in the world that made their abilities seem less mysterious. Xaltion watched this with great interest and growing agitation at the population. It seemed his children were so quick to forget him. Xaltion was a patient parent however, and stayed his anger. Instead he continued his role of observation. He was proud of his children's abilities and how they used the power of the world. Many spent their entire lives devoted to researching and creating new ways to weave the energies. A few had touched on the dark power fed into the world by Kezarai, but the majority of the population had felt the evil in that power and the users of that power had been killed. The art of Necromancy, as they called it, was effectively banned. Xaltion was pleased that his creations were inherently inclined towards creation and goodness and shunned destruction and darkness. Necromancy was soon forgotten or only whispered about, or so Xaltion thought. The people may have forgotten about that magic, but Kezarai was still there. One day Kezarai's rage would no longer be held in check.

Page 1

With the powerful force of magic behind them, the kingdoms began to expand and grow. The human kingdom, never before having any real edge over the Dwarven and Elven kingdoms, utilized magic to bring itself into great power and prosperity.

Clerics were still revered and respected, but the previous sense of awe in their powers was lessened as more and more people began to use magic. Though clerics were still the only ones who could successfully heal, there were now other powers in the world that made their abilities seem less mysterious.

Xaltion watched this with great interest and growing agitation at the population. It seemed his children were so quick to forget him. Xaltion was a patient parent however, and stayed his anger. Instead he continued his role of observation. He was proud of his children's abilities and how they used the power of the world. Many spent their entire lives devoted to researching and creating new ways to weave the energies. A few had touched on the dark power fed into the world by Kezarai, but the majority of the population had felt the evil in that power and the users of that power had been killed. The art of Necromancy, as they called it, was effectively banned.

Xaltion was pleased that his creations were inherently inclined towards creation and goodness and shunned destruction and darkness. Necromancy was soon forgotten or only whispered about, or so Xaltion thought. The people may have forgotten about that magic, but Kezarai was still there. One day Kezarai's rage would no longer be held in check.

Page 2
Xaltion felt a disturbance in the balance of the world and when seeking the source of this found that somehow a human woman had harnessed the power of Necromancy. She was extremely powerful in it. More powerful than she ever should have been able to become. Xaltion realized why. Kezarai, always the crafty and tricky one, had found a way to bond with her through his magic. With this bond, he was feeding her power beyond that of any other mortal. The woman was actually freeing Kezarai from his prison. Xaltion was so enraged and felt so betrayed by this act, that without thinking, he struck down Kezarai just as he was released from his sphere of exile. The effect of this was catastrophic. Because Kezarai was bound to the world and his magic and energy had become part of the fibers that held the world together, the loss of his essence created such havoc on the world that Xaltion was barely able to save it. When Kezarai died, all of his energy was forced into the world and the world could not contain it. Between the force of this energy backlash and that of the strike by Xaltion, the world began to tear itself apart. Huge tears in the dimensional fibers began to spread. The damage to the material world itself was massive. Mountains grew where before there were only miles of flat land. Other mountains disappeared into the earth and the ocean swallowed up cities and land alike. It rained fire and hail and trees uprooted themselves or were simply sucked down into the ground. The death toll amongst the creatures was massive, but the toll among the races was twice that.

Page 2

Xaltion felt a disturbance in the balance of the world and when seeking the source of this found that somehow a human woman had harnessed the power of Necromancy. She was extremely powerful in it. More powerful than she ever should have been able to become. Xaltion realized why. Kezarai, always the crafty and tricky one, had found a way to bond with her through his magic. With this bond, he was feeding her power beyond that of any other mortal.

The woman was actually freeing Kezarai from his prison. Xaltion was so enraged and felt so betrayed by this act, that without thinking, he struck down Kezarai just as he was released from his sphere of exile. The effect of this was catastrophic.

Because Kezarai was bound to the world and his magic and energy had become part of the fibers that held the world together, the loss of his essence created such havoc on the world that Xaltion was barely able to save it. When Kezarai died, all of his energy was forced into the world and the world could not contain it. Between the force of this energy backlash and that of the strike by Xaltion, the world began to tear itself apart.

Huge tears in the dimensional fibers began to spread. The damage to the material world itself was massive. Mountains grew where before there were only miles of flat land. Other mountains disappeared into the earth and the ocean swallowed up cities and land alike. It rained fire and hail and trees uprooted themselves or were simply sucked down into the ground. The death toll amongst the creatures was massive, but the toll among the races was twice that.

Page 3
The first four days were the worst. After that Xaltion was able to get some sort of control over the reactions, but it still took months for him to completely stop the upheaval caused by the death of Kezarai. It came down to balance. The world's balance was completely shifted and try as he might, Xaltion could not bring it back on his own. He and his brothers and sister had made this world and the world relied on all of them, collectively and individually, for balance. Now that balance was destroyed due to Kezarai's death and there was little hope of restoring it. Xaltion loved his world and his creations and he would do anything to keep them safe. He realized what he would have to do. He would have to fill the void in the balance. He would have to create a new balance. The decision would change the world, its magic and its religion for all of time. Xaltion willingly let himself divide. The result was the birth of the Nine Aspects of Xaltion. Each aspect was a representation of a part of Xaltion's whole personality. Together, the Nine brought a new balance to the world, and changed religion for all time. People no longer worshiped just Xaltion, but also worshiped his aspects. Thus, a great competition was born between the aspects for the attention of worshipers. The more people believed and had faith in them, the more powerful they became individually. Not only was Xaltion trying to save this world, but also smaller worlds that the four creators had made together which were also in jeopardy. Many were lost, but Xaltion was able to salvage a few by molding them into the spaces of his world, saving both. Once all this settled, what was left was a completely different world. The face of the land had completely changed, the people, the creatures, everything. Though Xaltion had done everything he possibly could, there was no way to know if the world would survive. All that could be done was wait. Only one blemish still remained in the dimensional fibers. This would later become known as The Rift and this Age was aptly named The Age of Rending.

Page 3

The first four days were the worst. After that Xaltion was able to get some sort of control over the reactions, but it still took months for him to completely stop the upheaval caused by the death of Kezarai. It came down to balance. The world's balance was completely shifted and try as he might, Xaltion could not bring it back on his own. He and his brothers and sister had made this world and the world relied on all of them, collectively and individually, for balance. Now that balance was destroyed due to Kezarai's death and there was little hope of restoring it.

Xaltion loved his world and his creations and he would do anything to keep them safe. He realized what he would have to do. He would have to fill the void in the balance. He would have to create a new balance. The decision would change the world, its magic and its religion for all of time. Xaltion willingly let himself divide.

The result was the birth of the Nine Aspects of Xaltion. Each aspect was a representation of a part of Xaltion's whole personality. Together, the Nine brought a new balance to the world, and changed religion for all time. People no longer worshiped just Xaltion, but also worshiped his aspects. Thus, a great competition was born between the aspects for the attention of worshipers. The more people believed and had faith in them, the more powerful they became individually.

Not only was Xaltion trying to save this world, but also smaller worlds that the four creators had made together which were also in jeopardy. Many were lost, but Xaltion was able to salvage a few by molding them into the spaces of his world, saving both.

Once all this settled, what was left was a completely different world. The face of the land had completely changed, the people, the creatures, everything. Though Xaltion had done everything he possibly could, there was no way to know if the world would survive. All that could be done was wait. Only one blemish still remained in the dimensional fibers. This would later become known as The Rift and this Age was aptly named The Age of Rending.