Spoilers Years 3701-4000 (Present Day - Campaign Start)
Summary: This is where the campaign begins, in year 4000. The last three centuries of corruption have brought the kingdoms to serious crisis:
Aelarion faces mounting scandals that undermine its diplomatic authority. The world’s cultural center and home of the Ythraewyn struggles with credibility. Its magical colleges compete viciously rather than collaborate.
Verdant Reach’s military culture has become aggressive to the point of destabilization. The Spartan values that made them strong have twisted toward brutality. Clan feuds and martial pride threaten to turn inward.
Lenthir hoards its agricultural abundance, creating regional tensions. The plains that once fed the continent now refuse to share. Cavalry nobility grows arrogant and isolationist.
Caernast’s merchant ethics have eroded completely. Pure profit motive damages all relationships. The hub that connected kingdoms now exploits every side.
Khalgrod Deep’s clan disputes threaten open warfare. Ancient grudges nurse toward violence. The deep mines report increasing strange activity and whispers.
The Greenfell has closed entirely, refusing all outside contact. The shires that welcomed travelers now help no one.
Maethys is undeniably awake. Passages open near major cities. Strange figures seen in depths. Whispers echo from below, offering solutions to surface problems. Some people are starting to listen.
Ysalyn the Fell awakens, and operates openly as Zoroth’s ally now, having carefully remained within Covenant bounds. Perhaps a third of The Nyx have joined her. The loyal majority desperately warn their Champions and allies, but cannot act directly without breaking their oaths.
A handful of scholars have pieced together the pattern, the timing, the corruptions, the Heptarchy’s presence across kingdoms. But corrupted institutions dismiss these warnings. The Tribunal investigates and finds no Covenant violations.
The kingdoms are in crisis, but not yet fallen. The corruption is serious but potentially reversible. Zoroth, the Hollow Prince is positioned but hasn’t made his final move. This is the moment before everything breaks.
Key Developments:
- Each kingdom in serious trouble from recent corruption
- Maethys fully awake, passages everywhere
- ~33% of The Nyx allied with Zoroth, led by Ysalyn
- Loyal Nyx desperately supporting mortal allies
- Handful of aware scholars recognize the pattern
- Tribunal paralyzed by legal technicalities
- Heptarchy members hold various positions of influence, trusted by many
- Corruption serious but kingdoms not yet collapsed
- Players arrive at crisis point, urgent but not yet hopeless