The Shadesong Saga

The Shaper sang a Song of Creation, and all life - good, evil and all in between - sprung from it.

 

Life, Death, Life in Death - all are part of the Shaper's Song, an eternal dance between what is living, what is dead, and what neither-yet-both. These forces - the Pale Aria, the Shadesong, and The Fugue - swirl around each other, altering the world with every step, every breath.

 

The continent of Eld is an ancient land that has already seen countless empires rise and fall. The current year is placed by scholars in the Fifth Epoch, but evidence exists that there might even have

been a great many more eras preceding the established calendar, which itself was created by the elves of the Magisterium over a thousand years ago. Bute even the great libraries of the Magisterium - the greatest trove of knowledge on Eld - have but scant information on the times before the Fimbulwinter that ended the Third Epoch.

 

Not much is known of the first three epochs, except that each likely lasted a few thousand years. All that remains of them are ancient, deeply buried ruins and artefacts - though it is also believed the Necrophage originated during one of the first three epochs.

 

At the end of the Third Epoch, the world had returned to a permanent icy state after a massive object fell from the sky and began the final years of civilization. It is believed many may have escaped the dying planet in some way, but no concrete records remain. This is now known as Fimbulwinter - the Longest Winter.

The first part of the Fourth Epoch is shrouded in mystery, and only the greatest scholars of the Magisterium or Karthoum still hold records of the days before the rise of Ghaul'Ra - The Necro-King.

1,500 - 1,750 - The Necro-King Ghaul'Ra rises. Most of the humans follow him; those who do not are enslaved. He rules from his dark fortress on the island of Godsmouth.

 

1,750 - 1,900 - The Sick, the Dead and the Dying: The Eldren of Starfall split into two nations, the Magisterium and the Wildbough. The Necro-King Ghaul'Ra cements his power, discovers the necrophage.

 

1,900 - 2,100 - Rise of the Imperium: After uniting the fractious Orkan Tribes, Ute the Black begins the process of civilizing her people. Ghaul'Ra rules in the South. The Imperium is created by escaped human slaves; in Ghaul'Ra's dark laboratories, the rat-like Novix are born.

 

2,111 - The Dark War: War between Imperium, Magisterium and Ghaul'Ra begins.

 

2,152: The Eldren of the Magisterium, the most ancient race known to currently inhabit the continent of Eld, have long hidden away safely behind the magical protection of the Well of Eternity, an ancient artifact that gives the Eldren near immortality and powerful magical abilities. A nearly successful attack by the forces of the Necro-King on the Well prompts them to join forces with the Human Imperium. Between the human's technical and soldiering abilities, and the Magisterium's arcane powers, the Alliance manages to destroy the Necro-King's army, and slay the tyrant. They do not, however, see the shadow that slipped by, escaping this defeat.

 

The Necro-King Ghaul'Ra is defeated. End of the Fourth Epoch.

 

The Fifth Epoch - The Great Renewal

 

The world is emerging from several hundred years under the rule of the Necro-King Ghaul'Ra - finally defeated by an unlikely alliance of Eldren and Humans. The humans and eldren declare this Year 0 of the Great Renewal.

 

Now, a decade later, an uneasy peace exists across the world. The alliance between the Magisterium and the Imperium - now called the Vorian Alliance - remains, and is on the verge of being strengthened by the marriage of the human Emperor's daughter, Clavia, and the Magisterium Prince Avellin, son of the Archmage Lorelei Silversong.

 

Yet, in several places around the world, whispers circulate among the shadows, speaking of a darkness yet to come. The necrophage resurfaces in the north, and the dark melodies of Shadesong can be heard in the distance, echoing warnings and ache...