Editing Shadow Lore (section)

==== The War of Blood and Shadow ====

The Shadows become active again during the [[The War of Blood and Shadow]] Story Arc. 

During this arc, the disappearance of the armies of the [[Viamont]] and [[New Aluvia]] on what is now known as the [[Shadow Marsh]] occurred. Many of the forces were turned into Shadows, some willing, some unwilling <ref>2006/03 [[Down Twisting Paths]] - [[Lore of the Dark Spiral]]</ref><ref>2006/03 [[Down Twisting Paths]] - [[Lord Marsan's Log Book]]</ref>

This was caused by the release of dark powers, because both the [[Raven Hand]] and [[Dardante]] tried to summon [[Grael]] and get him under their control.<ref name=BoundFalatacot>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Bound Falatacot Fragment]]</ref><ref name=ShiningRunesRollout>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Announcements - 2006/04 - Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands#Rollout Article]]</ref><ref name=ElderSpiritsTable>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref> Also, High Archon [[Lucane Kraest]] of the [[Raven Hand]] got a vision of a presence of a being not unlike his master, the Hopeslayer. and in the hope to find an ally or a puppet to control, he destroyed the first of the crystals, hidden by the Dericost in the [[Nightmare Gate]] on [[Caul]].<ref name=KraestJournal>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Journal of High Archon Kraest]]</ref>

Isin Dule finds out about the activities of the [[Raven Hand]], notably [[High Archon Kraest]], trying to summon [[Grael]] and orders his forces to interfere.<ref name=IsinInstructions>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Isin Dule's Instructions]]</ref> Some members of the [[Raven Hand]] have willingly embraced the Shadow and joined Isin Dule's cause. <ref name=IsinOrders>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Isin Dule's Orders]]</ref> Others, such as [[Archon Merille]] he does not trust.<ref name=IsinOrders>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Isin Dule's Orders]]</ref>

The summoning of Grael did not go as planned<ref name=DarkestTeaser> 2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Announcements - 2006/06 - From the Darkest Depths#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref>, and both [[Pontifex Maegris]] and [[Count Dardante]]'s main assistant, [[Archmage Aigonne]], were turned into shadows.<ref>2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Grael's Summoning Chamber#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> The experiments with Grael having gone awry, Grael became now [[Dardante]]'s master instead of the other way around. <ref> 2006/08 - [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Shattering the Dark#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref>. Dardante, being corrupted by Grael, was turned into a Shadow. 

When Isin Dule cannot prevent Grael from being summoned, he calls in the help of the Isparians to rise the [[Dark Isle]].<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[From the Darkest Depths#Soul Crystal of the Dark Isle|Soul Crystal of the Dark Isle Live Event]]</ref> and to prevent the [[Dark Isle]] from being sunk again.<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Raising Grael's Island#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> During [[Toward Ancient Shores]] patch, he opens the way to the [[Dark Isle]]<ref>2006/07 - [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Lanaith#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, the "island where Grael once slept".<ref>2006/07 - [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Toward Ancient Shores#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref>

Preceded by invasions of the Derethian towns by Shadows during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] patch<ref>2006/07 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Announcements - 2006/07 - Toward Ancient Shores#Letter to the Players|Letter to the Players]]</ref><ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Grael's Shadow Lieutenant#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, a breach was made for Grael's main contingent near [[Arwic]], lead by the [[Makkar]].<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Shadow Breach Quest#Lore & Dialog]]</ref><ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Translation of the Torn Letter]]</ref>

[[Grael]] was finally defeated by splitting him in three aspects by destroying the [[White Totem]] on the [[Halaetan Isles]] (Ruschk Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (Low)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, the [[Black Totem]] on [[Caul]] (Shadow Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (Mid)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, and the [[Abyssal Totem]]  on [[Dark Isle]] (Mukkir Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (High)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>. [[Oswald]] brought the [[Ordina Rossu Morta]] and [[Whispering Blade]] together to fight against Grael.<ref>2007/09 [[Dark Materials]] - [[Announcements - 2007/09 - Dark Materials#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref> Queen [[Elysa]] and King [[Varicci II]] decided to cooperate and slay each one of those aspects separately.<ref>2006/09 [[Come What Follows]] - [[Come What Follows#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref><ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Solclaim#Unique Globals]]</ref>