2012 Event

The 2012 Event is a name used by occult scholars to refer to the strange surge of aether, or dark matter, that started in late 2012. Some believe this to have been the event foretold in the Mayan calendar that would mark the end of the great cycle, the 13th b'ak'tun.

Poorly translated and misunderstood versions of the Mayans' calendars and prophecies sparked off the entire "2012 Apocalypse" phenomena among mundane humans. But the Mayans never predicted 2012 would be the end of the world, just of the current "world" or "age." There were Great Cycles before the current one, and there would be great cycles afterwards.

And so, for the majority of the world's population, 2012 came and went much like any other year. Yet, for scholars of the occult, those who study the hidden aspects of the world, something did indeed happen.

Aether, the "stuff" of magic, has always been present on Earth, but in small quantities, unobservable except when mages, occultists and monsters utilize the substance to work their supernatural powers. It's the same substance that makes up most of what modern scientists call "dark matter," as aether doesn't react to physical forces other than gravity. But when charged with anima, the energy of life and magic, aether can be transformed, shaped and influenced to perform impossible actions.

In late 2012, scholars noted the amount of aether on Earth increasing. Some believe that the Solar System entered into a dark matter nebula, others believe this is part of the Earth's natural cycle, and others believe someone *caused* this increase for their own ends.

Whatever the reason, this dark tide has begun transforming the world in subtle ways. Magic is easier to access, overlays between Earth and supernal realms such as Faerie and the Netherworld are becoming more common, ancient ruins from the age of Atlantis and Shambhala are returning to life, never-before-seen creatures are crawling out of the world's forests and jungles, entities long dormant are waking again, and a host of prophecies that were awaiting the time when "the stars are right" are shuddering into motion. The Earth, as a whole, is becoming a strange, more magical place.

And that worries the powers that be. The Veil has kept the peace for the past millennium, separating the Earth's magical and mundane communities. The dark tide could wash away the world they've built, and return us to an age of uncontrolled magic, where the monsters roamed freely, demons openly cavorted with mankind, and dark gods ruled over entire nations. But they also don't know how to stop this change. They're like the boy trying to plug a dike with his fingers--but the water on the other side is growing ever higher, and eventually, it will crest over the top, and wash everything away.

The threats posed by the tide manifests in myriad ways. It could be a demon lord, freed from their prison after millennia. It could be a vile cult, who have passed down prophecies of this foretold era since the dark days of the Age of Magic. It could be strange aliens with inscrutable motives and terrifying technologies, drawn to Earth by the rising aether. It could manifest in dark fey once again stalking the Earth, seeing humans they can steal away and recruit as soldiers in the growing armies of Winter. It could be alternate timelines, suddenly forming a bridge to our own, prime reality. It could be the rise of amoral humans who are willing to exploit these trying times for personal power. It could be all these things and more.

As it turns out, 2012 didn't mark the end. It marked the *beginning* of the end.