The Gloom

In the last days of the Age of Empires, the rulers of Khaoritan succumbed to avarice and pride. Believing they could ascend to godhood like the twelve Primal Champions of the legends, they sought out the components of the alien artifact known as the Stave of Ischarlin. Gathering their power, the Nameless Ones stood atop their glittering golden palace in a city surrounded by wealth and beauty and sacrificed 10,000 innocents to a voice from beyond - an ancient being more powerful than all the Primal Gods. They ripped a hole in creation to join Evermorn with the Fourth Dream. But, they were deceived. The Beloved entered Evermorn seeking the creator but found only mortals. The Beloved was instantly attacked by Mortinirious the World Dragon, and after a mighty battle, they plummeted into Mt Vylnilninyr

Mt. Vylnilninyr, a massive volcano once existing where Lake Vylnyr now resides, erupted in a catastrophic explosion that blackened the skies with ash and destroyed the great underground dwarven kingdom of  Ghimlinor more than 14 centuries ago.  The century long winter is known as The Gloom began and marked the beginning of Ash Fall, the current age.  When the mountain exploded, the initial shockwave was powerful enough to destroy most above ground structures within 300 miles.  Below ground structures in the Kellgud Mountain Range were instantly decimated leaving nothing but ruins of the mountain Kingdom of Ghimlinor.  The ash cloud from the initial explosion covered what is now Kaldtor, and the areas south of the Verdane River with two feet of ash, rock, and glass.  The caldera continued to spew ash for another month and ground quakes continued for another five years. Although there were some survivors from the blast, the extant writings are not specific.  What is known is than survivors began to travel north to find refuge in parts of the Deliverer Barrens.  By the end of the first year, trees not acclimated to cold began to die across Sycharia.  Records tell of the end of the great empires of Evermorn as famine and disease took the lives of most.  The continents outside of Sycharia fared somewhat better,  but winters lasted for most of the year and an age of ice began.

Few written records survive of the Gloom though some have been found in the caves populated by the survivors.  The dark creatures of evil ruled the land and people were hunted for food by the most vile creatures imaginable for more than 100 years. The first records of the return of civilized life in Sycharia come from the Hrayek of Tidestone around the year 150-200 AF.  Only legends and myths remain of the dark years as life struggled to battle back the forces of evil. 

A century after the Gloom, most of the continents of Evermorn entered a dark age.  However, Sycharia itself suffers the Gloom Curse.  The scholars of the Glaskin Magisterium have studied the effects of the Gloom for hundreds of years.  The Gloom Curse, as it is known by some, is well documented but little understood.  Pure Blooded elves will not come to Sycharia for it is deadly to them.  Dragons, though common in literature, are rarely seen in this land.  The dead, though necromancers can still practice their evil magic, stay dead.  Though priests can still sometimes call on the power of the gods to return a soul, these are true miracles.

(From A Partial and Incomplete History of Sycharia by Shrewd McShales)