Song of Darkness

Disaster / Destruction

The Varisians discover the fey. One such encounter releases the Darkness into the world.

With the song of promise's notes in their ears the Varisians began to build and create a society that would survive and thrive within these isles. Some chose the land and began to build villages and towns along the coast, others wished to remain with the sea and so crafted new vessels designed to handle the gentle winds and shallow waters that could be found amongst the isles. Thus, the first Sea Gypsy rafts were created. Both of these construction projects required the Varisians to make lumber and so they began to cut and fell the forests of Ovest, Arran and Nord. As the Varisians explored and worked they discovered the forests were far older than the islands suggested, and soon it was discovered that these forests had a strong link to the Seelie and Unseelie realms.   The fey of the forest found the Sea Gypsy to be a wondrous new distraction, many of the visiting and working Varisians disappeared for nights, weeks or even years as the members of the Seelie and Unseelie court brought home their new friends and gifts. The Unseelie court enjoyed this distraction but usually treated their acquisitions like baubles to be played with till broken or discarded and so many of the Varisians became wary of the darker fae. In the beginning, the Seelie court enjoyed the music and wisdom these short-lived individuals brought to the court, holding many parties and festivals. But soon the curiosity of the Varisians became obvious to the light fae with many of their secrets being returned to the Sea Gypsy community. The Elenhos (High Elves) were the first to become concerned, they had begun to covert their power and knowledge separating themselves from the Ornhini cousins and saw the Varisians as even shorter lived versions of these children. They began to close the doors to the fey realm to all but the most dedicated Varisian explorers.   One Varisian sorcerer, a lover of the fae, had dedicated his studies towards the fey energies and found this separation unbearable. He travelled deep into the forests of Arran seeking the wondrous realms he had enjoyed so much. Melaren'i'marta (Lover of the Fey) as he was known, sang the songs of his friends and called forth with his fey magic, seeking a way to return to the realm he loved so much, but none answered.   Legends speak of Melaren finding at the center of the forest a single creature that seemed to be of fey origins, a dark and wicked creature. At first he thought the creature was a dark fae or member of the Unseelie court. It brought him hope that he might have found a member of one of the fey courts and so he spoke with this creature. The creature promised to guide him back to the fey realm if he would but open a portal with his magic. The creature taught Melaren the song of darkness, a wicked spell that unlocked the darkness from its prison within the shadow realm.   The Darkness spread its power between the fey realm and mortal realm, infecting first Melaren and then the creatures around him. With this infection Melaren discovered the power he had sought from the fey. His desire was corrupted by the Darkness, his loneliness turned into hatred. The sorcerer set about destroying all the realms touched by the Seelie court, his power fueled by everything dark and wicked.   What happened to Melaren and how the Darkness was returned to this prison is a well guarded secret throughout the Isle but the scars of the war can be seen if one looks carefully. The Scion temple of earth in the spine of Nord was destroyed. The Elenhos of Arran were annihilated; some speak of their corruption to the Darkness or their grand sacrifice to protect the Isle. Ovest was scoured of flora by the light, dark or both forces unleashing a spell across the island to stop the others machines of war. Atra Morte came into being. This city of the dead was a sacrifice in the dark war as the living fought the unliving. The unliving during the war invaded the fey realm and became a resource for the Darkness in future battles.