The Blightstorm

Plague / Epidemic

The Bane of the Old Empire. In a flash the great empire was ended and only the blight remains.

The Blightstorm: The End of the Old Empire   The current age began with a cataclysm now known as The Blightstorm, a confluence of magical and natural devastation that brought the mighty Old Empire to its knees. The Blightstorm marked not just the end of a great civilization but the start of an age defined by decay, fear, and fragmentation.   Origins of the Blightstorm   The exact cause of the Blightstorm is shrouded in mystery. Some blame the arrogance of the Old Empire's mage-lords, who tampered with forces beyond their control. Others whisper of divine retribution for the empire’s sins, or the awakening of an ancient, unknowable entity buried deep within Vyshesk. What is known is that the Blightstorm began with a sudden, catastrophic eruption of magical energy in the empire’s heartland—a pulse so powerful it reshaped the continent’s geography and unleashed an enduring, malevolent force: The Blight.   The Storm Unleashed   The Blightstorm was not a singular event but a cascade of horrors. Over mere months, the Old Empire was consumed by:   Magical Tempests: Towering storms of blackened lightning and acidic rain swept across the land, leaving behind scorched earth and lifeless ruins. These tempests seemed to target the empire's greatest cities and strongholds, wiping them out with eerie precision.   The Plague: The Blightstorm brought forth a virulent epidemic that spread faster than any army. Victims succumbed within days, their bodies blackened and twisted as if consumed by the very magic of the Blight. Survivors became carriers, wandering aimlessly until they too fell.   Corruption of the Land: In the storm’s wake, the very fabric of nature twisted. Crops withered, rivers turned toxic, and once-thriving forests became blighted wastelands teeming with horrors. This corruption persists, making vast swathes of Vyshesk uninhabitable.   The Fall of the Old Empire   The empire’s response was swift but ultimately futile. Armies marched to combat the spreading chaos, only to fall to disease and despair. The mage-lords, who had once commanded the respect of nations, turned their considerable power inward, seeking to protect their own domains or flee to safer lands. Their infighting hastened the empire’s collapse.   As the empire crumbled, its subjects scattered to the winds. Refugees fled to the edges of the continent, creating isolated enclaves and fractured realms. The once-mighty roads of the Old Empire became dangerous pathways, haunted by creatures born of the Blightstorm’s magic.