WORLD : WORLD CALAMITIES
"There have been many catastrophes throughout the history of the world. Nym is no stranger to cataclysms, small or large, and has managed to survive them all; sometimes only barely. If not for the intervention of gods or the efforts of powerful civilizations, the effects of these so-called world calamities might have created a far more grim and lifeless world today.
When talking about world calamities, it is mainly referring to those catastrophes that were so powerful that they changed the world, or at least large portions of the world. There have been many smaller calamities, often caused by the carelessness of ancient civilizations, but the truly great cataclysms have usually been at the hand of powers that mere mortals could never hope to control or fathom.
It isn't inaccurate to say that when these calamities occurred, the inhabitants of Nym at the time likely thought the world was ending. Prophets and doomsayers still speak of the coming End Times, and some say that it has already begun. Yet Nym still stands, and the world still endures. For how much longer, one can't really say, but if our world has survived the past calamities, it can surely survive more, right?"
'The End?'
- Nashorn the Blue, Candlehold Scribe
Confluences
A Confluence (also referred to as a Convergence) is when a Tearworld's orbit leads it into the shell of Arkath's Divide, and in doing so weakens the Veil and the Weaveglass. As a result that Tearworld momentarily merges with the Nymworld, allowing inhabitants and energies of that Tearworld, the different Planes and Worlds, and the Nymworld to enter into each other with greater ease.
Confluences are rare and typically one only occurs once in many thousands of years. Each Confluence is also brief, but has lasting effects especially on Nym; normally by stranding an Otherworld Kin in the Nymworld, or by causing unnatural damage in a region, or affect Nym on a grander scale. A Confluence destabilizes the Natural and Arcane Laws of the world, and as a result creates visible chaos throughout the Nymworld's physical and immaterial structure. Typically these effects die down after the Confluence passes, but lasting effects can linger afterwards.
There have so far been six notable Confluences that have occurred in our world. It is very likely that future Confluences will happen as the other Tearworlds inevitably near and pass into the Nymworld, though it is almost entirely impossible to predict such events before it is too late. Astronomers try to pierce and study beyond the Veil in an attempt to observe the Tearworlds and their trajectory, but at most they are only able to perceive that the Tearworlds are there, and not their likelihood of starting another Confluence.
First Confluence - San-Ka
Said to have occurred some 23,000 years ago, the Confluence of San-Ka was unprepared for its merging with the Nymworld, as the Weaveglass and Veil hadn't yet been formed to properly alleviate the unstable energies of two worlds merging.
The powerful Aether that clashed as it merged with the planet Nym tore San-Ka apart; shattering it into several pieces. On the planet Nym, the destabilized energies caused surges of unleashed Aether to disturb the fabrics of the spirits, and many began to disappear or dissolve.
It was at this time that the Kal'Mar vanished from the world, and it wouldn't reappear until several thousands of years later; after the Worldblight occurred and Malendii brought the Kal'Mar back from where it had slowly restored itself and slumbered in the Aetheric Sea.
San-Ka itself still exists, although it is no longer a whole world. Its floating rocks and broken lands are anchored to the Tearworld's core, and its inhabitants have adapted and learned to survive; creating a society of world-travellers who can jump between worlds on specially made vessels. By visiting other worlds, they bring back various resources (and sometimes various Kith and Kin) from those places, so that those on San-Ka can continue to survive.
Second Confluence - Ar-Zhala
At the end of the Time of Stars (roughly 10,300 years ago), the Confluence of Ar-Zhala merged with the planet Nym, and sucked in vast amounts of still untamed void Aether; that had been created from the War of Stars, as well as the negligence of Tiral's Tidewoven children, the Maaré and Maéc, who had failed in their duties to "cleanse" Nym of its corrupted magical Aether.
As it consumed the void Aether for itself, Ar-Zhala's and Nym's Aether created a sudden surge that managed to shatter the Dragonsoul; awakening the dragons. It was through the shattering of the Dragonsoul that the Elder Dragons returned, and, in witnessing the past destruction brought on the world they had once shaped, some of them defiantly became the Dragon Gods, and heralded the beginning of the Second Era.
Ar-Zhala's consumption of the void Aether effectively managed to clean the planet Nym of its tainted magic; something Tiral had attempted to do before, but was unable to do so because of her Tidewoven children's actions. But because Ar-Zhala took in all those void Aether, it became a Tearworld of highly arcane and unstable magic, and Tiral still visits it to siphon some of its void Aether away and into the Nethervoid.
Third Confluence - Syl
At the height of the Wyld Ages (ca. 8000 years ago), Malendii's Wyldtrees (created for the purposes of absorbing blight Aether caused by the Worldblight) would be affected by the Confluence of Syl. Spores, seeds and other sentient, wild plants from Syl fell to the planet Nym as Syl merged with it, and many of these would become afflicted with blight Aether. Some seeds corrupted a number of Wyldtrees; spreading blight instead of absorbing and containing it.
Some of the creatures from Syl, unafflicted by blight Aether, would remain hidden in the world or join Malendii's Dreampact. Those who joined the Dreampact became the dryads, naiads, fairies, and other similar feykind, and as allies of Malendii, they would try to protect the remaining Wyldrees from corruption.
It was only after the Confluence of Syl that Malendii started having nightmares, and the Nytesoul was created in her Sleeping World. Phantasms, nightwraiths, and other nightmare manifestations would begin to appear in Malendii's Dream, as well as in the Waking World of Nym.
On Nym itself, the various wild seeds have grown and spread within the jungles and forests of the world; most being dormant until potential prey stumbles across them.
Fourth Confluence - Ibel'Ach
Not too long after the Confluence of Syl, the Confluence of Ibel'Ach occurred some 700 years later. At first its effects were minor; creating a seemingly eternal night that wouldn't return to normal until a few days later. But as more time passed, the effects of the Confluence of Ibel'Ach became more apparent.
100 years after the Confluence, the sarazhi kingdoms started to disappear; their people answering what they referred to as the "Deep Call" as they moved deeper towards the Abyssal Depths. In the Underneaths, the sectizh descendants (the Creator Signis' elevated Arachnyr servants, as well as the independent Vithrid), fled to the surface, speaking of a darkness forming in the Deepdark. Even goblins and the previously hiding trolls surfaced from the Underneaths in massive numbers as they flooded to the surface world.
It wouldn't be until a lot later that the true cause would be discovered. Eldritch beings, originally from Ibel'Ach, had implanted themselves within the Underneaths, and had conquered the deepest realms. They became Eldritch Gods, and have since remained in the darkness of Nym's Under-Realms; possibly building strength so that they can properly enter the surface world.
It was also only after the Confluence of Ibel'Ach that rifts leading to Riftworlds began to appear throughout the various and distant lands of Nym; usually in areas where unstable Aether is strong.
Fifth Confluence - Nagal'or
2900 years ago, around the time of the founding of the first Celestial Dynastic Empire of First Canthar, the Confluence of Nagal'or occurred. A great sickness, named the "Necrotic Plague", swept across the entire world and killed thousands of its inhabitants; leaving entire civilizations lifeless. Most civilizations would eventually recover later; having either endured or been repopulated by a different culture, but, still, many were forgotten.
As a Tearworld of necrotic Aether, Nagal'or's merging with Nym resulted in an increase in necrotic and necromantic creatures. Mainly it was the integration of three necrotic Kith that stuck out at the time; the vampiric Vrayth, the cannibalistic Ghûls, and the ethereal Liches.
Most of these beings would appear in Ryumar, but various sightings and confirmed communities of Vrayth, Ghûls and Liches also appeared in Korash, the Reaping Lands, Ashanor, and Aesudarh. Because of their arrival in Nym, the number of creatures created from undeath and necrotic Aether vastly increased; leading to several civilizations at the time to either embrace them, be consumed by them, or actively fight against them.
It is said that a part of the Necrotic Soul, which is mainly trapped within Nagal'or, was left behind on Nym duringthe Confluence, which is why necromancers and other practitioners of necrotic Aether became stronger and more common throughout the world. Those who make use of necrotic Aether would, after the Confluence, find it easier to establish a connection to the Tearworld of Nagal'or, and thus they could borrow the powers of the Undead God more readily.
Sixth Confluence - Tal Toren
Around the time of the Old Darion Imperium's rise, some 1700 years ago, the Confluence of Tal Toren sent large chunks of that Tearworld crashing into the various lands of Nym. These meteoric storms caused great destruction especially in Ryumar, Ashanor, and Korash; leading to the creation of the first ogres. As the meteors crashed into the soil of the earth, inexplicable shapes took form; given life and become sentient by inexplicable means.
These meteors carried with them not only ogres, but also stones of neutral Aether that spread to several spiritually strong Aethra Stones and minerals around the world; converting and transforming them into the energy- and magic-neutral mineral of Duraritium. This mineral is considered highly valuable because of its high tolerance for magical energies, as well as for its value as a strong, durable metal.
Supposedly dwarves started becoming more magically resistant after the Confluence of Tal Toren, which might also explain why the dwarves can't seem to use magic very well, or why dwarves very rarely experience Magical Awakening. The actual specifics as to how or why this happened is still largely a mystery.
The meteors didn't only bring with them Duraritium and ogres, but also several Torians who became stranded in our world. The various Torian tribes, renowned for their emotionless nature, have since spread into various regions of Ryumar, Ashanor and Korash; creating smaller, isolated societies where they have continued their old way of stoic life from Tal Toren.
The Worldblight
The Worldblight was a cataclysmic event that occurred somewhere around 9000 years ago. It was created from a powerful Tha-Kai magic ritual, which was meant to eradicate the dragons, and in particular the Dragon Gods. The ritual mostly worked as the Dragon Gods were forced to flee and go into hiding, but the Worldblight also destroyed all the tengan of Tha-Kai, and consumed the lands around it with blight Aether. Eventually the Worldblight spread throughout all of the world; infecting and killing the vast woods and forestlands.
Dragons who weren't killed became affected by what is known as the Feral Affliction. The Feral Affliction tore apart the minds of those it touched, and effectively turned them into feral beasts. Most of the dragons fell to it, but some managed to escape by fleeing to the Crown of the World, the Cradle of the World, or by going to the Under-Realms. Some other Kith and animals were also caught by the Feral Affliction, such as most trolls and some of the scaleshaped Kith.
When Malendii created her Dream World, she put most of the dragons of the world into a coma, known as the Second Slumber, and brought the minds and souls of those who hadn't been fully afflicted yet to her Dream World. There they would sleep and heal with the intention of curing them. But they would later awake in the Age of Dragons, with the Feral Affliction still lingering somewhere within their souls.
As the Wyld Ages progressed, Malendii planted Wyldtrees that would suck in the blight Aether from the Worldblight and suppress it; mostly neutralizing it, but only for as long as the Wyldtrees continued to absorb its energies. It is now her greatest task to act as the Guardian of Nature, and her servants and allies assist her in maintaining the Wyldtrees and the remaining blight Aether of the world.
The Worldblight is dormant, but it isn't quite gone from the world. It is only held at bay because of Malendii's Wyldtrees, and her own mental efforts trying to contain its energies within her Dream World.
Great Sunders
When there are extremely high concentrations of destructive Aether gathering in an area, a Sunder is imminent. It is a calamity that destroys on a grand scale; annihilating life and lands alike. Minor Sunders tend to occur fairly often; typically in areas where magic and Aether is unstable and misused. But so far in Nym, only two 'Great Sunders' have been witnessed.
The First Sunder was during the War of Eternity, some 13,000 years ago. It was caused by the destruction and conflicts between the Creator gods as the Divines and Archons fought each other; leaving the lands of Nym barren and wasted. The First Sunder destroyed the continents at the time, and it is believed that its destruction of those continents led to the creation of the continents we know of to this day. It was shortly after the First Sunder that the War of Eternity ended; the gods finally realizing the destruction they had wrought upon Nym.
The Second Sunder happened 2500 years ago, in the lands of the Iltam Empire in Ryumar. The Iltam Empire's queen sought divine power to rule her lands as a goddess eternally, but she couldn't control the destructive energies she summoned. Iltam was destroyed, as was all the lands around it as the earth dissolved and fell into the seas; creating the great stormblighted Shattered Sea in western Ryumar.
After the Second Sunder, Ryumar's lush lands began to fade, and faced magical storms for hundreds of years after; some storms still appearing to this day. In their wake, those earlier storms created vast deserts of sand and dune; stretching across almost the entire continent. The magical instability of those storms also brought many elementals, rifts and mutations to Ryumar, who plague the various Ryumari nations still to this day.
In time the lands of Ryumar would begin to heal and plants would regrow, but high amounts of destructive Aether still remain in Ryumar; often kept at bay by the Sectum Tor through powerful counter-magics and strict magical laws.
The Voidsurge
Not long after the elves had been born from the First Song, they discovered the gifts and potential of Arcane magic. Elven arcanists would tap into the Veil, the Planar Seas, and, not least, the unstable Nethervoid; siphoning them of void Aether to power their spells and contraptions. It was only later during the War of Fathers that they would learn the dangers of doing so.
Arcanists of both sides of the war used spells powered by void Aether; unaware or ignorant of the fact that more void Aether began to amass on their isles of Eldareth. Soon voidstorms appeared above the Spire of Shaar in the azure city of Eladria. Eventually these storms merged together and became known as the Voidsurge.
The Voidsurge tore apart Eldareth; deforming and twisting its many islands. The elves would flee across the seas east and west; starting a long journey to find new homes for their people. All that remains now of the Voidsurge is the extremely tainted ruins and stones of Eladria, known as the Voidscar. What remains of Eldareth forms in a great ring of isles that surround the Voidscar; between them, an empty stretch of void-touched sea, where once there had been land aplenty.
​
The Voidsurge has calmed on Eldareth, though void Aether still remain on the isles. Remants of the storm also still hangs above the Spire of Shaar in Eladria; ensuring that no one can get close to it. The ruins of of ancient Eldareth serve as a reminder to all what happens to those who meddle with the void.
Another effect of the Voidsurge was what the elves call the Voidcurse. The Voidcurse inflicted all elves with void Aether; meaning that all elves have void energies within their souls. This has made elves more adept at magic, such as allowing even non-Awoken to learn and wield advanced forms of magic, and Magical Awakening is more likely to occur among elves.
However, because of the Voidcurse, elves live shorter lives. Before the Voidcurse most of their people lived for several centuries, but now they are blessed if they can reach 100 years of age. The Voidcurse also tears at their souls; said to appear as a whisper within their minds that tries to corrupt them. Some elves even refer to their whispers as a second entity within them; like an internal shadow of themselves, or an inner demon. Elves have since found ways to live with their curse, and use various remedies or magical objects to dull the whispers. To most elves today, their Voidcurse is a minor issue.