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| Second Sending of Darkness |
The First Sending of Darkness is a historical event on Auberean. It is one of the Sendings of Darkness, which are laid out in the Fivefold Curse and the Heretical Prophecy.
Based on all available information, the First Sending of Darkness seems to involve a struggle between the Falatacot (possibly the Light Falatacot specifically) and the Darkness. The Great Cooling of the World may be related.
Alaidain's Gem
In Leafcull, 11 PY, Isparians discovered Alaidain's Gem in the Catacombs of Ithaenc. Incribed on this gem was the Fivefold Curse. The section of the Fivefold Curse pertaining to the First Sending is as follows:
It is hard to draw conclusions based solely on this line. However, if we assume that the Second Sending is either the Black Rains, the Empyrean Shadow War, or both, the First Sending must occur before those events.
In this first line of the Fivefold Curse, the word "we" is used.[1][2][3] These words were uttered by King Sarvien II of Dericost as he died, but they were not his words. He was reciting a Falatacot prophecy[2] from the Book of Eibhil.[3] With that in mind, it seems most likely that the "we" referred to here are the Falatacot.
We know that the Falatacot struggled with the Darkness. In his Campaign Journal, Anadil wrote 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."[4]
It also appears that some Falatacot did not escape the Darkness. Umbris and Panumbris Shadows are notably always female. The Arcanum's 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."[5] And Aerfalle's Letter supports 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."[6]
All of this information supports the idea that the First Sending of Darkness involved the Falatacot and their struggle with Darkness. Some of these Falatacot survived and fled to Dericost, while others succumbed to the Darkness and became the Umbris and Panumbris Shadows seen today. The Great Cooling of the World occurred during this time, and might be causally related to the First Sending.
Prophecies
In Solclaim, 14 PY, Isparians that made their way to Knorr discovered an ancient tome written by Asheron, Prophecies, where he communicated the Heretical Prophecy to Delacim. The section of the Heretical Prophecy pertaining to the First Sending is as follows:
- As darkness draws about light[7]
Like the Fivefold Curse above, it is hard to draw any conclusions on this line alone. Asheron wrote that this knowledge came from "those who remembered the days before when we were still beings of purity and grace,"[7] which could mean the Light Falatacot or even the original Empyrean.
If that is the case, the First Sending might have been a struggle between the Light Falatacot or original Empyrean and the Darkness.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 2000/11 Should the Stars Fall - Alaidain's Gem
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2001/10 Dark Majesty - AC:DM CD Lore: Alaidain's Gem
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 2003/02 That Which Is Ours - The History of Auberean Volume I: Empires Clashing (-30,000 to -9,000)
- ↑ 2000/11 Should the Stars Fall - Campaign Journal
- ↑ 2001/10 Dark Majesty - AC:DM CD Lore: Derethian Bestiary - Shadows
- ↑ 2000/07 To Raise a Banner of Flame - Aerfalle's Letter
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 2003/05 Discoveries - Prophecies