CrownedSun/TimeOfTumult
Time of Tumult: the Fall of Darkness
This is my longest running continious Campaign, pretty much ever. It ran for well-over a year (even counting two 'breaks' we took), on IRC, and covered large swaths of Creation -- everywhere except the Blessed Isle. It focused largely on the Father of Darkness, a Deathlord whom I created with very far-reaching plans to destroy the Sun. This plan involved crafting a powerful weapon, or more properly by corrupting and perverting an already extant weapon that was used to destroy his Malfaen master. The weapon, the Spear of Light, was located farrrr to the west, in the ancient and forgotten city of Del`Roh -- a floating First Age citadel-city, which unknown to all of Creation still survived to this day, protected from the Wyld by the Sorcerous Artifice of it's Twilight founder.
The game began in the East, with the characters drawn to the Shadowland-home of the Father while he was away pursuing reagents he would need to corrupt the Spear. The characters more or less raided his home, killed one of his Deathknights, and stole a Hearthstone (the Gem of the Night Sky from the Book of Three Circles) that was unknown to them going to be used to power the corrupted Spear. Freeing the people of the Shadowland, the reason they had come at all, they set off up the Gray River. While there, they ran into another Solar -- and a renegade Abyssal, known as Balthasar, who was also combating the Father.
On their way DOWN the Grey River toward the shadowland, they had run into a ruined city of the Dragon Kings, populated by the creatures, which had recently suffered from tomb robbers. Running into one of the survivors of the tomb robbers, they investigated and got completely dominated by a small army of the beasts. So, on the way back UP the river, they were noticably upset about the incident. Yet, when they passed the area, they found the bodies of Dragon Kings strewn left and right -- the Father had passed through the area, heading through the graves of the Dragon-Kings to retrieve the ashes of the one who had originally wielded the spear to kill his Dead God.
It was here that the characters learned of the Fathers plan, though not in much detail. Other matters made themselves more important, when they found thmeselves hunted by the Wyld Hunt. A quick and brutal engagement later, the Solars fled toward Nexus and Lookshy -- on a stolen First Age Realm Warship that had been sent against them. Most of the Hunt, including the Brother of one of the characters, was left on the shore of the Gray River with a polite note.
No little adventure was had here, but the plotline picks up again in the City of Chiaroscuro -- which, shortly after the characters arrive, is put under siege by the undead forces of the Father of Darkness. The characters struggle to try to save the city, but after a shadowdown with four Abyssals and the Deathlord himself (due to the fact that they grabbed a bit too much attention), they decide that discretion is the better part of Valor and leave the city for safer points...by now realizing the nature of the Fathers actions, and trying to find the vital pieces that he's seeking before he can reach them himself.
The characters adventure turns to the West, now, as the characters seek lore of the forgotten city of Del`Roh in the Court of the Censor, Fakharu. Pledging themselves to write a book for him once their adventures end, they leave his small island with more information but still precious little in the way of direction...and turn off into the Wyld, not knowing how long a trip they face or what dangers they will face.
Ahead of them, however, is the Realm -- and one of their foremost treasure hunters, Ragara Kestrel, on a mission whose true nature they never discover. Eventually, however, with the Aid of a Fae Lord, the characters arrive to find the Island Sanctuary besieged -- the realm, using mighty First Age weapons, shatters the ancient Defenses of Del`Roh, forcing their way in and killing everyone within the lower city (via a Sidereal using Cantana of Empty Voices) but finding themselves stymied and held at bay from conquering the upper city. The characters, under cover of Darkness, sneak onto the isle -- seeking their own way up to the floating city in the clouds that lurks above them.
The characters learn, then, of the Air-Cities ruler, a Great and Magnificant Celestial Lion named Siash -- when the Lion comes down from the Clouds to pursue vengeance on the Dragon-Blooded. The characters, eager for the distraction, rush up toward the city while everyone is distracted...using one of the now unwatched aerial lifts. Below, the Celestial Dragon is imprisioned by the Magic of the Sidereal for 101 years, and the Legions begin gathering their numbers on the massive Agricultural Lifts to stage their own invasion.
With the help of the Dawn Caste's bureaucracy charms, however, the characters are able to man a defense against the Realm and narrowly defeat the forces that were brought up into the city -- slaying those still below with the help of a Torrential Cascade! At last, the great Spear is found in it's hiding place, and the cruel jest is revealed. Thinking the Age of the Solars invulnerable, the First Age Lord of the City -- reincarnated in the Daybreak Caste Abyssal Balthasar -- raised up his floating city in the skies by harnessing the glory of the Spear of Light. There the Spear remains, chained to the central Manse of the city, and if removed...the entire city will crumble, and fall. The characters, lacking the heart to make such a sacrifice, settle themselves into the city as its new rulers.
Motnhs pass, as the characters solve the petty problems that approach them and become known as Kings. Threats arise, and are beaten down. Gods are appeased, fueding rivals soothed, and stability reclaimed. Preparations are made for the confrontation that they know must come, but which are perhaps for naught. First Age lore is examined and researched, including a secret to a way back home...a 'library telportation system', still functioning in places, that links various First Age libraries all over Creation. Including one in the Imperial Manse, where they pick up a copy of the Broken Winged Crane -- which tempts them mightly, especially the Dawn Caste General who feels that no matter what the city must not fall.
Eventually, though, the Father of Darkness comes -- and, in a final realization, the characters realize what they must do. A Pact with the Unconquered Sun is made; he holds the city aloft, as long as the Sun is in the sky, while the characters evacuate as much of the population as they can through the transportation system -- into the burning lands of the South. Facing the forces of the Father, with the certainty that the Deathlord himself cannot be far behind, the characters at last depart mere moments before the city plummets from the sky and meets its end on the jagged ruins of the city below.
There, in the South, the characters -- at the head of a huge population, in the millions -- must suddenly find a way to feed and supply them. Once again, matters of the Father are forgotten, as the characters war to gain themselves food. Villages on the border of Varang and Harbourhead are captured, and negotiations are made with Harborhead to feed the starving Rohan People...but those offers are rejected, and so there is nothing left for them but war. Even as the characters set the stones of their new Capital, Nei`Roh, and begin the process of administering to their conquered Territory of Harborhead and fighting diseases that have lingered in the Threshold...the Abyssal Servants of the Father worm their way into the neighboring Varang Kingdom. Even worse, the Realm chooses this time to attack in force, Five Legions from Five Houses landing on the shores and fighting a tough battle...only to, eventually, with the help of more Solars from the East, be driven off.
Finally, though, the time comes to march on Varang -- a country, by now, broken and claimed by Death. Most of it's population taken to the capital, where they work fervently on building a massive pyramid...whose upper spires would pierce the sky, and open a gate to face the Sun. It is upon the steps of that Pyramid that the characters face the Father of Darkness, and where their Light burns his Darkness to nothingness.
On toCrownedSun/RohanEmpire :: the exciting sequel!
