The Age of True Peace

After The Taming, Aondor was finally at peace. True peace. After the trials and struggles and witnessing the horrors they had, the surviving peoples were emotionally and physically fatigued. They just wanted to make their on life and were happy to do with their follow kin. While some were more ambitious and had more of an adventuring spirit than others, each one settled into a role they were happy with. Those that wanted to farm, farmed. Those that wanted to build, built. Those that wanted to swing a sword, joined militias. And those that wanted to lead, did so - and they ruled and led from a place of genuine desire to see their fellow Aondorians prosper.

Great kingdoms and castles sprang up the land, accelerated by the arcanists’ newfound power. Even though magic could be used to complete the most difficult tasks with speeds previously unkown, magic-users strove always to innovate. As mages practiced and perfected their powers of creation, they soon unlocked the secrets of life itself, giving birth to wondrous, dangerous new forms of life and power.

The advent of the arcane seemed to be the key to a bountiful age of plenty, but also proved to threaten it, as prosperity soon gave way to greed. Illyrio Vassig, a mage in the Kingdom of Argosia was one of the people that wanted more. Unhappy with his lot and driven by his hunger for power, he sought the guidance and power of the banished Forsaker Gods.

If record exists of how Illyrio was able to accomplish piercing The Shroud, it has not been found, but pierce it he did. As his whisper beyond The Shroud, a voice stood out. Singing the most beautiful song he'd ever heard, Lyrix, The Siren and the Princess of Lies, appeared to Illyrio, answering his call. This goddess of strife and deception, conflict and murder, intrigue and illusion took pleasure in manipulating people into ruining or ending their own lives, let alone the lives of others. Illyrio 's mind was no match for the silver tongued song of The Siren and quickly became a thrall to the Mad Goddess.

Lyrix, the only evil god able to slip passed The Shroud and into Aondor, saw a land unspoiled save for the occasional petty squabbles of men. Her obsession became desecrating this thing that seemed so pure and beautiful. It was Lyrix's arrival marked the end of the Age of True Peace.