Editing Continuity/Sendings of Darkness (section)

== First Story Arc ==
The first story arc (which is the Fourth Sending of Darkness)<ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem>2001/10 [[Dark Majesty]] - [[AC:DM CD Lore]]: [[AC:DM CD Lore/Dericost Texts/Alaidain's Gem|Alaidain's Gem]]</ref><ref name=ACDMCDLoreFourthSending>2001/10 [[Dark Majesty]] - [[AC:DM CD Lore]]: [[AC:DM CD Lore/Historical Overview/Portal Year 11 - The Fourth Sending of Darkness|Portal Year 11 - The Fourth Sending of Darkness]]</ref><ref name=ABriefHistoryForTravelers>[[Microsoft Zone Archive]]: [[Microsoft Zone Archive/Asheron's Lore/A Brief History for Travelers|A Brief History for Travelers]]</ref> is when we first learn of the Sendings.
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The first time Isparians heard the term 'Sending' used was in three of the texts recovered from Frore:
:''"When last we spoke he was agitated and distracted, but assured us that he was drawing close to finding a use for the crystal which would answer the prophesy of the '''Fourth Sending'''."''<ref name=OurGreatWork>1999/12 [[Sudden Season]] - [[Our Great Work]]</ref>

:''"It was foretold by the priestesses that the '''Fourth Sending''' would begin in a city of Dericost called Frore, which means "Black Frost." No such city existed during the 6000 years of the Kingdom. So it was decided that we should make for ourselves a city by that name; being blood of the noble houses, our city would be of Dericost."''<ref name=TheBookOfMinesh>1999/12 [[Sudden Season]] - [[The Book of Minesh]]</ref>

:''"The ancient prophecies of the Falatacot said the '''Fourth Sending''' would begin in a city of Dericost named Frore."''<ref>2000/01 [[Dark Thaw]] -  [[Microsoft Zone Archive/Asheron's Lore|Microsoft Zone Archive - Asheron's Lore]]: [[Microsoft Zone Archive/Asheron's Lore/Journal from Frore|Journal from Frore]]</ref>

In [[Aerfalle's Letter]], Isparians learned about the second Sending when [[Aerfalle]] wrote,

:''"Recall the last coming of the dark spawn. I had established this little colony perhaps three centuries previous..."''<ref name=AerfallesLetter>2000/07 [[To Raise a Banner of Flame]] - [[Aerfalle's Letter]]</ref>

:''"The '''Second Sending''' came, and the world reeled. So little time there was for me to expand my influence among the little lives below my mountains."''<ref name=AerfallesLetter />

:''"When the barbarians fell back to Killiakta, did we not move unseen then? I counseled that we should all stand together, Filinuvekta and Latzimestal, Wind and Lord, lest those we sought to rule all be taken and twisted."''<ref name=AerfallesLetter />

:''"So did we join, if only once, in the southern forests of Ifistra. The Winds rose from their hidden lairs, and the Lords marched from their bastions. While the hedge-mages struggled to rekindle the flame of old Facill's knowledge, the Battle of Ayn Tayan raged for three days."''<ref name=AerfallesLetter />

The first quote reveals that the last coming of the 'dark spawn' came approximately 300 years after the colony was established on Aerlinthe. The colony was established in RE 222,<ref name=AerlintheRecord>2000/07 [[To Raise a Banner of Flame]] - [[Aerlinthe Record]]</ref> so 300 years later would be RE 522. People first began to disappear from Daralet in -2,532 PY (RE 366).<ref name=HistoryOfAubereanVol2>2003/03 [[A Perfect Paradox]] - [[The History of Auberean/Volume II: A Struggle With Darkness (-2,998 to -1,999)]]</ref> Lord Altan and his forces are defeated by Bael'Zharon in -2,527 PY (RE 371)<ref name=HistoryOfAubereanVol2 /> The first sighting of a Shadow Spire occurs in -2,364 PY (RE 534). So the figure of "perhaps three centuries previous" roughly fits this time period.
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The second quote is when the term 'Sending' is first used. It also confirms that the Second Sending occurred after the founding the of the colony on Aerlinthe. The third quote refers to the Yalaini retreating to Dereth, and the third and fourth quotes refer to the [[Battle of Ayn Tayan]]. Given the second quote's placement between the first quote and the third and fourth quotes, it seems logical to assume that the Second Sending is the [[Empyrean Shadow War]].
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The next information revealed regarding the Sendings of Darkness came four months later. At this time Isparians discovered [[Alaidain's Gem]], which is inscribed with the following message:

:''As we were sent by the Darkness''
:''The Darkness shall send again''
:''An avenging star''
:''A light to bring darkness''
:''The Darkness shall send then''
:''A knowledge:''
:''A power to bring destruction''
:''For Alaidain's blood shall be''
:''The death of the people''
:''And then Darkness shall send yet again''
:''And once more, and the Darkness shall win.''<ref name=AlaidainsGem>2000/11 [[Should the Stars Fall]] - [[Alaidain's Gem]]</ref><ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=HistOfAubVolI>2003/02 [[That Which Is Ours]] - [[The History of Auberean/Volume I: Empires Clashing (-30,000 to -9,000)|The History of Auberean Volume I: Empires Clashing (-30,000 to -9,000)]]</ref>

These were the final words of Sarvien II, the last king of Dericost, which he uttered to Empress Alaidain as he died on the Ice Throne.<ref name=AlaidainsGem /><ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=HistOfAubVolI /> This was a Falatacot prophecy from the [[Book of Eibhil]]<ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=HistOfAubVolI />, which is known as the Fivefold Curse.<ref name=AlaidainsGem /><ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=HistOfAubVolI /> When Alaidain returned from Dericost, she inscribed the quote on the gem. In her waning years, she entrusted this gem to the wards of Ithaenc. Only the monarchs of the Seaborne Empire were allowed to read these words.<ref name=AlaidainsGem /><ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /> Much later, Asheron referred to it as the curse of Eibhiill.<ref name=Prophecies>2003/05 [[Discoveries]] - [[Prophecies]]</ref>