Editing Continuity/Sendings of Darkness (section)

== Analysis: Sendings ==
Analyzing the two different prophecies may also help yield results. Below is an attempt to break up the two prophecies into the five sendings, based on the events they are describing:

{|class="wikitable"
!The Fivefold Curse
!Heretical Prophecy
!Sending
|-
|valign=top| As we were sent by the Darkness
|valign=top| As darkness draws about light
|valign=top| First Sending of Darkness
|-
|valign=top| The Darkness shall send again<br />An avenging star<br />A light to bring darkness
|valign=top| And all falls to ruin so shall come; the star.<br />The darkness will impart its wisdom,<br />And the Light shall lose its way.<br />And blackness shall fall across the land,<br />And the Light will be hidden above.
|valign=top| Second Sending of Darkness
|-
|valign=top| The Darkness shall send then<br />A knowledge:<br />A power to bring destruction<br />For Alaidain's blood shall be<br />The death of the people
|valign=top| Then shall the light gain its wisdom<br />And Champion.<br />For Alaidain's blood shall be<br />The savior of the people
|valign=top| Third Sending of Darkness
|-
|valign=top| And then Darkness shall send yet again
|valign=top| And then Darkness shall send again,<br />and be beaten
|valign=top| Fourth Sending of Darkness
|-
|valign=top| And once more, and the Darkness shall win
|valign=top| And so it will send again,<br />and be beaten.
|valign=top| Fifth Sending of Darkness
|-
|}

This breakdown of the prophecies relies on a two assumptions:
# That every line of the prophecies relates to one of the Sendings. Or, to put it another way, that none of the lines are referring to events which ''aren't'' part of a Sending.
# That each prophecy contains information on all five Sendings.

An important thing to consider when trying to determine the Sendings is the out of universe factors: When the concept of the Sendings was first presented to players in 2000, it is very unlikely that the developers had any of the following plots planned:

* The Falatacot/Burun plot from 2004
* The Grael plot from 2005 and 2006
* The Mar'uun destruction plot from 2009
* The Black Pool plot from 2010
* The Tou-Tou/Shadow plot from 2011
* Any of the more recent appearances of Bael'Zharon, including his appearances during the game's anniversary month, or his appearance when Void Magic was released.

=== First Sending ===
Fivefold Curse:
:''As we were sent by the Darkness''
Heretical Prophecy:
:''As darkness draws about light''

In this first line of the Fivefold Curse, it is important to understand who "we" are. We know that these were Sarvien's last words,<ref name=AlaidainsGem /><ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=HistOfAubVolI /> but they are a Falatacot prophecy,<ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /> and it is said what Sarvien uttered was a prophecy from the Book of Eibhil.<ref name=HistOfAubVolI /> With that in mind, it seems most likely that the "we" referred to here are the Falatacot, and Sarvien was not referring to the Dericost people when using "we".
<br /><br />
The [[Campaign Journal]] states that ''"For the Falatacot, in their flight from the Darkness and cold that had put their gods to sleep, taught the kings of the Ice Throne their secrets in exchange for sanctuary."'' which implies that the Shadows were involved with the ice age.<ref name=CampaignJournal>2000/11 [[Should the Stars Fall]] - [[Campaign Journal]]</ref>
<br /><br />
The [[AC:DM CD Lore/Bestiary/Derethian Bestiary#Shadows|AC:DM Bestiary entry for Shadows]] states that, ''"There are indications that some Shadows, particularly those of the more powerful Panumbris and Umbris types, predate the conversion of Ilservian into Bael'Zharon. Scholars believe this indicates the force that empowered the Hopeslayer has sought the conquest of Dereth for a far much longer time than is commonly known."''<ref>2001/10 [[Dark Majesty]] - [[AC:DM CD Lore]]: [[AC:DM CD Lore/Bestiary/Derethian Bestiary#Shadows|Derethian Bestiary - Shadows]]</ref>
<br /><br />
And [[Aerfalle's Letter]] seems to support this, ''"The dark spawn have now appeared in my cellars as well, below the levels infested by Asheron's vermin. They are older than the ones that trouble you, I believe; Uvriliim and Paanuvriliim."''<ref name=AerfallesLetter />
<br /><br />
It does not seem to be coincidence that Umbris and Panumbris shadows are all female. This is most likely a hint at their Falatacot origin.
<br /><br />
All of this leads the [[user:An Adventurer|editor]] to believe that the First Sending of Darkness involves the conflict between the Darkness and the Great Ones which led to the Great Cooling of the World, which in turn led some Falatacot to flee Dereth for the warmer lands of Dericost.

=== Second Sending ===
Fivefold Curse:
:''The Darkness shall send again<br />An avenging star<br />A light to bring darkness''
Heretical Prophecy:
:''And all falls to ruin so shall come; the star.<br />The darkness will impart its wisdom,<br />And the Light shall lose its way.<br />And blackness shall fall across the land,<br />And the Light will be hidden above.''

If we use our conclusions from the previous section of this article, we know that the second Sending included the Empyrean Shadow War. However, the actual lines in both prophecies seems to be more closely related to the Black Rains.
<br /><br />
That being said, there is nothing that rules out a Sending being a period of time where multiple events occurred. So it is the opinion of the [[user:An Adventurer|editor]] that the Second Sending is the period of time which began with the Black Rains, saw the exile of Ilservian Palacost, and his later return (and defeat) as Bael'Zharon.

=== Third Sending ===
Fivefold Curse:
:''The Darkness shall send then<br />A knowledge:<br />A power to bring destruction<br />For Alaidain's blood shall be<br />The death of the people''
Heretical Prophecy:
:''Then shall the light gain its wisdom<br />And Champion.<br />For Alaidain's blood shall be<br />The savior of the people''

The events being described in both prophecies seems to be Asheron's rediscovery of Planar magic which was used to defeat Bael'Zharon. "Alaidain's Blood" refers to Asheron, himself being a descendant of Alaidain. Being the death of the people in one version and the savior of the people in the other would seem to be referring to his involvement with the Olthoi invasion, and his casting of the Sundering to save the remaining Empyrean. The "power to bring destruction" could be referring to planar magic being used to defeat Bael'Zharon, or planar magic bringing about the Olthoi, or possibly both.
<br /><br />
The one oddity here is that, in the Fivehold Curse, it seems to state that Darkness sent this knowledge to Asheron. The Heretical Prophecy is less clear on this, it simply says that the light gained this knowledge.
<br /><br />
Regardless of how Asheron rediscovered planar magic, it it is the opinion of the [[user:An Adventurer|editor]] that the Third Sending is the period of time which began with the defeat of Bael'Zharon, the increased use of planar magic, and the eventual downfall of the Empyrean at the claws of the Olthoi, which led Asheron to cast the Sundering.

=== Fourth Sending ===
Fivefold Curse:
:''And then Darkness shall send yet again''
Heretical Prophecy:
:''And then Darkness shall send again,<br />and be beaten''

While the prophecies themselves do not reveal any information, we know that the Isparian Shadow War was the fourth Sending.<ref name=ACDMCDLoreAlaidainsGem /><ref name=ACDMCDLoreFourthSending /><ref name=ABriefHistoryForTravelers />

=== Fifth Sending ===
Fivefold Curse:
:''And once more, and the Darkness shall win''
Heretical Prophecy:
:''And so it will send again,<br />and be beaten.''

This last Sending is, in the backstory of [[Asheron's Call 2]], the return of Bael'Zharon circa Portal Year 40 which led to the Humans, Tumeroks, and Lugians retreating into the shelter for 10 generations.{{Specific Citation Needed}}