Severed Fates Lore

While only five years had passed in the lives of those who had been swept up in the convergence, a thousand years had gone by on Aeromeos. To those who were outworlders on Thuria, returning home meant that they discovered most of what they had known previously drastically changed. Kingdoms rose and fell within that period, some prominent societies now in hiding and others who were unknown now ruling.

In Elandria during the thousand years, an unseen puppetmaster ruled. Centuries prior, Archmage Veremund, thought dead after a public burning, was secretly resurrected as a lich by his followers.

In the years that followed, the sect was also committed to undeath and continued to serve their master, six in total. Their names were hidden well within the archives of the decimated manuscripts left in Gyndra’s library at the Academy. Veremund and his cult led from the shadows, sowing distrust for those who stepped onto their soil from Thuria.

Without the Archmage Gyndra, the Mage Academy was absorbed under the Templar banner as Holstaf declared himself the Regent of Elandria. Formerly a scribe, Khali was assigned the rank of Knight Commander and oversaw the organization and rebuilding of the capital city. 

Incidents involving the cultists arose, including a bizarre chase through the underground sewers that ended up with one of them revealing Veremund’s presence under the moniker of ‘The Hand Below’. Shortly after, they were turned into dust when their neck collars flared to life with dark magic. Mentions of a strange temple underground were discovered, and when the freeholders located the place, the first world seed was already missing. Veremund’s minions had gotten to it before they had. And while confirmation has yet to be seen, it is thought that the almost immediate subsequent collapse of the Underdark’s network of tunnels in Elandria happened as a result.

Rumors abound, pointing blame at the ‘new invaders’ from Thuria for bringing corruption to Aeromeos. Freeholders band together and continue to seek out cultists, which lead them to clues about a dark lair.

This dungeon-like chamber, a necromancer looms over new victims, inscribing dark magics into them for some unknown reason. The freeholders infiltrated and freed a few victims after this Master of Secrets steps through a portal and disappears. Tracking the necromancer to his secluded estate, they interrupted another enslavement. A fierce battle ensued, ending with the necromancer's defeat and the rescue of a young man. Among the necromancer's possessions, they found notes and a list of names, many matching those of missing persons.

Among the items found was a reference to a second temple deep in the jungle. In hopes of finding the second world seed, the freeholders set off. Though a perilous journey, they fought many large snakes and then worked together to unlock a runic puzzle that opened a passage into the fey wilds. They located the second seed and secured it from Veremund and his nefarious plan.

As they left this pocket of the Fae Wilds, the freeholders were verbally accosted by a madman who made references and braggadocious claims of himself and his cohorts. It was at first unclear whether this ‘Master of Illusions’ was a true believer or not, but the cad easily mentioned the “Master of Whispers’ and her husband ‘War.’ This fact alone gave the group reasons to delve deeper and unearth the whereabouts of these others.

A few weeks later, the group infiltrates the home of ‘The Master of Whispers’ and her husband only to find Illusion instead of War. It ends with a face off at the tail end of a screaming match between the two in which Illusion showed himself to be sulky over having been a third wheel since they were young. Taking advantage of the situation, the freeholders attacked and prevailed. War arrived to find his ransacked home and his wife's corpse. He swore vengeance against the Freeholders.

War, fueled by grief and aided by the Master of Shadows, unleashed devastating attacks across Elandria. Graveyards were desecrated, freeholds destroyed, and even strongholds damaged. However, War sustained injuries in several clashes, forcing him into hiding after Shadows' destruction.

Elandrians remain vigilant, rebuilding after War's rampage. They unite, fearing his return, while the third world seed stays hidden.

Recent reports regarding the Regent have been confirmed, as War attacked a retinue of his soldiers, Holstaf fled; the only remnant left was a left boot with the foot still intact.